My sister called. A distant aunt with whom we shared our childhood days has lost her son.

“This is the second one she is losing,” my sister added.

I jump out of my seat. I remember only the eldest one, whom, of course, I have not seen since our lives drifted apart after primary school. I went to a boarding school but our parents (our fathers were second cousins) worked in the same department for few more years.

In recent time, occasionally, I met my aunt but saw none of her children. Besides, my uncle passed away ten years ago and that further widened our relationship.

I asked for more information on how my distant cousins did with their lives. I was told only one has a stable job. That too a low-level one. None of them completed school. And three of them (two deceased now) were doing some odd jobs, regularly getting into problems of all kinds.

After I put my phone down my heart sank and for days I was depressed.

“Why is life so unfair? Both my uncle and aunt were not bad people,” I started asking questions I had no answers to.

We (my distant cousins) started our lives together. Same school. Same teacher. Went barefoot and hungry together. In fact they were a little better off for some reason. And yet they are where they are and we (my siblings) are where we are.

They too had dreams. I remember vividly that one wanted to become a pilot like me.

Moral of the story.

If you see someone doing odd jobs, or in some low-key positions or places, treat them well. Know that they too had dreams. They too would have loved to become successful like you – whatever success meant.

Check on your relatives, and your classmates. I know I am terrible at keeping in touch. It is my weakest link with relationships. I mean no malice, though. But one thing, I treat my classmates like I always used to. We still call each other by nicknames. No protocols or no social distancing.

Not everyone has made it although you may have started out together. It’s not their fault. I don’t know what it is. Simply, disadvantaged?

(NB – I am helping my aunt financially since death is also expensive these days)