Moments to Memories

“There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done." "One is called yesterday and the other is called tomorrow, so today is the right to love, believe, do, and mostly live," says the Dalai Lama.

Addisu Negash is the son of Zewdu Negash and Zufan Negash. During the early morning hours of March 2, 1980, when the entire country was commemorating Adwa Victory Day, his first cry marked the beginning of his life in a new world, while his parents pondered whether he could see them in his dazzling eyes. He was stunning, to say the least, and the couple couldn't believe they'd created life out of love. This was a new beginning not only for the charming prince but also for them. Their commitment to the relationship grew stronger, and they couldn't wait to dive in.

Life's twists and turns forced the family to relocate to a small town in South Sudan, where their father worked for a humanitarian organization. The change in life, however, did not diminish their devotion to their newly expanded family. They fantasized about bestowing upon Addisu all the riches and benefits of life. Like any other doting parent, they wished for his life to have purpose and meaning. Addisu, on the other hand, was learning about love and life from his parents, just like any other inquisitive, endearing, and charming soul.

By the age of ten, Addisu had realized that man's primary responsibility was to provide for and protect his family. This was not something he would have benefited from learning in school. He saw it firsthand from his father, who pressed his nose against the grinding stone. This meant spending weeks away, knuckling down in his office whenever he was around. He would go weeks without seeing his father. Some days he wished he could just storm into his office and tell him all about his best friend at school, and other days he wished he could eat lunch with him and pick his brain for fresh material to share with the rest of his class.

The family expenses increased as the young boy grew older, and his father hammered away more. At the age of 13, his mother returned to her nursing career, and he enrolled in high school. He was intellectually gifted and had an unwavering commitment to success and excellence.

On his twentieth birthday, his mother was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour, which was a devastating blow to the family. By the time the test was done, the cancer was in its advanced stages, and being in the medical field, she knew what was coming. It was impossible to tell from Zufan's demeanour that she was a formidable woman who possessed a wealth of knowledge. She began preparing the family for the unexpected turn of events. Despite his mother's best efforts to prepare him for the future, Addisu, who spent a great deal of time with her in his early years, was unable to let go of the past or imagine a future without her. It was a difficult period, and Zewdu, being Zewdu, buried himself in his work to distract himself from the difficulties. He took more trips out of the country and sought new ventures.

Eventually, the unthinkable transpired, and Zufan ceased to exist. Negash's wife, Addisu's mother, and friend: Addisu and his father are on the Boeing 737 Max today, March 2, 2004, making what will be the last of many trips they will take with Addisu's mother as they travel to their respective home to bury her. Addisu has already decided to go back to his hometown, his home, and, more importantly, to stay close to his mother.

As they fly over Mogadishu, golden rays of sunlight permeate the entire space. Negash frequently considered new beginnings, but he was imprisoned in the travellers' paradise. He realized how much he ignored his pain and the events preceding the loss of his best friend, the love of his life, the mother of his only child, and a friend. The smile that lit up her face was infectious, and her famous words were, "Life is to be lived and experienced with the ones that matter the most." It was a common phrase she used during her youthful years—"till her last breath." She lived by those words. He tells himself, “Nothing can bring you peace but yourself,” as he remembers the weekends he used to spend with his wife before the birth of their first child.

Absorbing the sun's rays, Addisu forms a profound, thoughtful, and instinctual bond with the natural world. He understands that life's bits and pieces may not appear to be perfectly consistent, but reimagining how mountains and trees are depicted—ranges, different heights, differing surface areas and lengths—preserves a key consistency when observed. This demonstrates how human beings have become an integral part of many ecosystems. Maybe the issue has always been constructing the present from the dusty remains of the past, from tired stories and widely held beliefs. For instance, Christians associate sunrises with the glorious nature of the Creator of heaven and earth, whereas environmentalists value healthy coexistence with nature and the Hobbesian school views nature as solitary, brutal, unpleasant, and fleeting. Individuals recognize themselves in those narratives. His mother cared for him for thirteen years; the moments they shared are now cherished memories. She fashioned her outlook on life and adhered to it.

As they land in Addis Ababa, which means "new flower" and is known as the capital of Ethiopia. He now holds, as his name implies, a new belief, and as the next in line to the throne, he must recreate, reimagine, and re-construct his worldview. He recognizes that to resolve the disunity in humanity's vital elements, he must first heal the disunity within himself.

“Life is to be lived and experienced with the ones that matter the most," he murmurs to himself.