I can blame my extended hiatus on the COVID/Variant Years or a writing slump, for which the Toronto-resident who was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria suggests, “Try to remind yourself of the real purpose behind your writing.” The Urhobo beauty from the Delta state of Nigeria continues, “Success starts with commitment to whatever it is you're doing.” Thanks Ediri, either commit to writing or commit to the writing slump, but I couldn’t do both.
I wasn’t putting pen to paper, the period shuffled my plans for the (self-love) series and catapulted me into an explorative state of subconsciousness, self-restraint and self-grit. Then, as the summer began to close, the universe (or intrusive algorithm) requested that I enter a space of integrity as Ediri’s IG activity (a harmonious compilation of thoughtful and witty stories, profound quotes, and Naija bangers) entered my feed. The introspective creative was still inspiring IG followers and visitors to Ediri’s Corner (https://linktr.ee/ediris.corner). The colorful blog provides a space for art, beauty, and encouragement with book reviews (the most recent being Tomorrow Died Yesterday by Chimeka Garricks) and life reviews (Adult Diaries) with her multidisciplinary skills in photography and writing are elegantly displayed.
The reoccurring theme that I find throughout Ediri’s aura is love. She defines wealth as health and love and her favorite mantra is Maya Angelou’s Love Liberates. Her presence embodies love as a graceful balance between self-love and everybody-love. There really is no need to sacrifice self-love for the love of others. The love and care you give yourself is a practice (like yoga) that extends to others (if you allow it). Self-esteem is a prerequisite for self-love and loving those in your sphere with an allied relationship.
“Self-esteem is how a person perceives their own worth. And self-love is making yourself a priority and acting in a way that lets yourself know that you matter,” Ediri shares.
How does one learn to admire themselves, Ediri? “Do the hard things, we tend to admire those people who do the hard things in life. Basically, don't run away from the hard things in life,” says Ediri. Blue’s dad told us this, when he returned from one of his many retirements, on the song Lost One (Jay-Z, Kingdom Come, 2006), “Don’t run from the pain, run towards it.” Life is truly about gathering evidence for purpose, joy, and love. One uncovers data when running (or realistically crawling) towards the hard things.
When asked if her life were a song, what song would it be? “Ooh, I feel like I can do anything, and finally I'm not afraid to breathe,” Ediri introduces us to the lyrics from Mary J. Blige’s, Living Proof, The Help Motion Picture Soundtrack, 2011. “So many don't survive, they just don't make it through, but look at me, oh, I'm the living proof,” as Ediri’s life song conveys, one can focus on the hard things, or the testimony.
As Ediri moves about the corners of the world (and her blog) with the superpower she would like to possess, “The ability to banish hate from the human race and swap it with love,” I see no indication that she does not already possess that power. She gifts herself to life and new experiences without boundaries, “Never put myself in a box,” she learned growing up. The expression still drives her as she shifts her focus between growing her photography business, developing her business skills and consistently sharing content.
“I want people to look at my life, my accomplishments, my choices and the chances that I took and say to themselves - ‘Damn- she must’ve been crazy.”
She follows life jejely,*{(Yoruba word meaning, gently I learned from Ediris_Corner (Instagram)}, when necessary. However, more times than not, she is Crazy about Life, Crazy about Joy, Crazy about Spreading Love. Damn, she must be crazy, but I love that for all of us.
*Naijionary
Instagram: ediris_corner Blog: https://linktr.ee/ediris.corner