Behind the Glass Door: The True Reflection(S)

By Foluke Joyce Omosule

Foluke Joyce Omosule never forgot the love she received as a child and all the kindhearted people she grew up with in the southwestern part of Nigeria.

Raised by her grandparents, her parents were always in her life, and their caring and concern gave her the strength to overcome the many challenges she faced as she fought to get an education.

Her hard work paid off in the form of opportunitiesand one of them was the chance to go to the United States to continue her education. Even after leaving home, she was constantly reminded of who she was and where she came from, and trust and intuition helped her move from one stage of life to the next.

Whether youre seeking to fit into a new place or trying to create a better life for yourself, you can find inspiration in the challenges, fears, and pain that Foluke overcomes in Behind the Glass Door.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Dec 23, 2013
• ISBN: 9781491717905

Foluke Joyce Omosule

Foluke Joyce Omosule earned a master’s degree in nursing from Benedictine University and works as a registered nurse in Chicago. She is a single mother of four beautiful children.

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Copyright © 2013 Foluke Joyce Omosule.

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ISBN: 978-1-4917-1791-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-1792-9 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-1790-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013922473

iUniverse rev. date: 12/19/2013

Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

I wrote this book in memory of my grandparents; though they have passed on, their memories will live forever. And my father, who sacrificed so much to give me a better life, is no longer here, but I feel his presence in my life every day. My mother, sweet Mother, your love and prayers continue to fuel my path; I cannot thank you enough. And I thank my children, who have stood by me through thick and thin, for their endurance and understanding. Most of all, I thank our good Lord for his mercy over me and my family. All glory belongs to him, for his mercy shines forever.

Introduction

How many times have you heard the expression the mirror doesn’t lie? It is a fallacy. Mirrors do lie. How many times do we look deep into ourselves to find a solution to our problem?

Unfortunately, too many problems are embedded deep in our souls. So instead, we look into the mirror and deal with issues on the surface that are usually easy to fix but do not resolve any real issue. We focus more on body image instead of true self. We allow the mirror to define who we are. The truth is that the mirror only shows a distorted image of the true self, one in which the face is too puffy, nose too small, hair too gray, stomach too large, buttocks too flat, chest too big, legs and arms too skinny, body too fat, skin tone too uneven, and the list continues. We then run to the store or search the Internet, looking for solutions. The truth is that the mirror only magnifies our imperfections and displays only a certain percentage of our true selves. How do we calculate the remaining percentage? A wise man may say it depends on one’s life journey. But how can we complete life’s journey without a doubt or a question? Life is not always fair; it favors some and disappoints others. If that is the case, how can a person accept his or her own life journey?

Jerusalem was not built in a day. Wisdom and understanding come with years of experience. It takes wisdom and courage to accept where and who we are in life. We cannot flourish in the current stage unless we have gone through the previous stages. We must have the ability to look in the mirror and focus on our true inner selves, not on how others see us or the reflection that is displayed.

Behind the Glass Door: The True Reflection(s) is the story of one woman’s struggle to create a new life for herself. It is a memoir that will inspire both young and older women. This is because if we know who we are, we will appreciate ourselves more and accept what we have become. Instead, we convince ourselves that if we find love outside of ourselves—through a relationship or some other means—we will be happier. The truth is that we are the only ones who can make ourselves happy. Love is an emotion that can be felt by anyone who embraces it. Love is fun, peaceful, relaxing, flexible, kind, protecting, trusting, and patient. But it takes work to embrace those feelings and to keep them going. That is not to say that love does not come easy; just like many other things in life, it comes easy for many people, while others have to work harder to get it. But true love comes within ourselves, our true reflection, and the acceptance of who we are symbolizes it.

CHAPTER 1

Life’s Journey

Given a chance to go back in time, many of us might jump at the opportunity. Other people might think that it will be a waste of time. Growing up, we did many things that seemed like fun. But as adults, we might say, What was I thinking?

I grew up in a southwestern part of Nigeria. I was raised by my grandparents because my parents were not married and they were not together. My grandparents tried to teach me about love from the time I was young, and I was glad that I took the opportunity to learn from the best. My grandmother did not have any formal education, but she understood love and tried to teach us based on her experiences. I was the only grandchild for five years until my sister was born. After the birth of my sister, I still enjoyed the privileges associated with being the first grandchild. Growing up with such privileges can be advantageous and disadvantageous. The good thing was that I got all the love and caring I could imagine; the downside was that I could be bad and still look like an angel in my grandparents’ eyes. I was somehow naïve and stubborn, yet my grandparents saw me as sweet as a cherry pie.

Despite my stubborn but playful behavior for a girl of my age, I was the best student in my grammar school. My good grades were another reason I got away with so much growing up. My grandmother was pleased that I came first or second in a class with so many kids. In school, I was humble and respectful. Many of my teachers liked to talk to