The Blur Road

Prologue

"Tade!" An old man called out in a whisper. The teenager was lost in slumber, oblivious to the world around him.

The old man held a rod in his hand, his white wrapper tied around his waist. His head was clean-shaven, like that of a newborn, and his long, white beard hung from his chin.

"Tade mumbled, still half asleep. Suddenly, the old man shouted, "Akintade!" Tade jumped up, startled. He wiped his face with his palm and stretched his body slowly. Still half asleep, he opened his eyes. The scene in front of him shocked him. Where was he? He looked around, confused and scared. The atmosphere was monumental, violent, calm, serene, and loud, like the sky itself. Finally, Tade managed to ask, "Where am I?" He was trying to understand how he'd gotten to this weird place

"You are well. And I know you want to know where you are. This is Purgatory, a place of peace and tranquility."

"Purgatory? Like in those stories? Does that mean I'm dead?" Tade was shaking as he looked around the strange place. He realized this was no dream - it was real.

"You're not dead, you're still very much alive on Earth. But you're here for a reason. Do you know why?"

Tade scratched his head and tries to remember how he end up at a purgatory but was unable to remember anything. "He paused for a moment, then blurted out." " I..I don't think I remembered anything, I'm trying so hard to but still I can't remember a bit,even anything about myself.except from the name you call me". He said finally

"You've been through a lot of hardship from your family: resentment, burden, and placing blame on yourself. As you blamed yourself, you placed a greater burden and pain on yourself. But you could have been living a perfect life with a family who doesn't appreciate your efforts.Unrequited kindness is often kindness wasted". The old man turned away from Tade, but Tade caught his sleeve, full of curiosity. "Who are these family members I gave everything for? Are they the reason I'm here?" Tade's voice quivered with emotion. "Please, tell me!"

"I can't tell you much about your misfortune with your family, because you've chosen to forget the pain you went through while you were on earth. You were sick and suffered through the pain they caused you. You wished you could disappear from the burden. You were a good son and a good brother.

"How was I the one who had to carry all the responsibilities? We had parents - why didn't they do their part? Why would I take on so much? I'm anxious and confused," Tade said. "I want to know more about my life story."

Tade was getting more and more anxious, and he wanted to understand what had happened to him. Why had he had to make so many sacrifices, only to end up in this strange place? The old man looked at Tade with compassion in his eyes. "Your life is a long story, Tade, and it's not over yet. After your father died, you stepped up to take care of your siblings, and your mother put a lot of pressure on you to succeed. But in the process, you lost sight of your own goals. You felt like a failure, and your siblings seemed to be doing better than you. You decided to focus on their dreams instead of your own, not realizing that God has a big dream for you.

Your purpose on earth was powerful, but you had to face obstacles and struggles in order to achieve it," the old man said, pausing for a moment. "And once you find your purpose, you can become one of the great people of the world. But you let yourself give up after one failure, and you left this world too soon. If only you had kept going, who knows what you might have achieved? Your potential was limitless."

Tade looked around, feeling lost and confused by the old man's words. He was here, and he didn't know why. What was next for him? Was this some kind of purgatory, where he was being forced to relive his mistakes? Or could he somehow change his fate and chase the dreams he'd given up on? Finally, he spoke. "What am I supposed to do now?"

"It's okay to feel lost and confused, Tade. You've been through a lot, and it's understandable that you have questions. But I want you to know that this is a place of learning, a place where you can reflect on your past and figure out your future. This isn't a punishment, it's an opportunity. I can't tell you exactly what to do next, but I can help you figure it out. What matters most is that you find peace within yourself."the old man replied Tade

"Am I dead?" Tade asked, his voice shaking. "I can't go back to earth. I don't want to die. Please, help me." Tears streamed down his face, and he looked at the old man in desperation.

"You're not dead, Tade," the old man said gently. "And you're not trapped here. It's true that you can't return to the earth you came from, but there's another path you can take. If you choose, you can be reincarnated into a new life. You can have a fresh start, a chance to make different choices and create a different future for yourself.

"Reincarnation? A new life?" Tade's mind was racing. He'd never considered the possibility of starting over, of having a do-over in a different life. Was it even possible? "How would that work?" he asked, his voice still shaking. "How would I know what to do differently?"

"You'll be given a new life, with a new identity and a clean slate. But I'll give you a message that you'll carry with you into your new life. It'll be a subconscious knowledge, a feeling of knowing what you need to do differently. You'll still have free will, so you'll make your own choices, but you'll always have this inner knowing to guide you.

"Thank you," Tade said, his voice full of emotion. "I'm so grateful for this chance. And I'm grateful for your wisdom and guidance. Thank you for everything."

STORY WRITTEN BY OGUNWOMOJU ADEMOLA OLUWAFEMI

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