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The project aims at looking beyond the smiles of the next person, to see what’s really beneath, what’s really going on? How people really need help and won’t bother saying anything about it but would rather cover it up with a façade of strength, with a smile.
It’s time to look beneath the smile and lend a helping hand. People are going through real things, these are their stories.

We hope that you’d be kind enough to leave a comment. Your feedback is important to us.

Today’s story was sent in by one of our readers who has asked to stay Anonymous.

This is her story.

Please Read.

The ‘Beneath the Smile’ Project.

Hey Funto,  I have been following the stories on beneath the smile and I thought I should share mine.

I grew up in the north, in a very strong Christian home, My dad, a pastor and my mom was the head of Sunday school. I am the only girl with four brothers, I’m the second child. I remember one day, my mom saw my little journal and read it out to my brothers and they all looked at me like I was a sinner, that day she said a lot of things to me that really hurt me and what was there sef? i liked a boy in school, so? My elder brother would take down any of his friends that try to ‘set p’ with me. it was too much and I hated it. I love my family, I really do, but it was just not easy being the only girl.

October 2007, my mom suddenly fell really ill at that time, she was having slight issues with my dad, I remember them shouting at each other every night. Her illness got really bad and we didn’t know what it was. At first we thought she was just depressed because she was denied visa when she really wanted to travel and that spoilt a lot of our plans.

One faithful afternoon I just got back from school and saw a black jeep in front of my house, my mom had packed her things and my dad was begging her not to travel, she wouldn’t listen she said she needed to heal and none of us had time to take care of her.

She left.

December 2007, my mom was still in Ogun state, sagamu and we were planing to travel to see her, coupled with the fact that there were crisis in the north at that time and we couldn’t write our exams. I was so happy to see my mom because I really missed her. We traveled on the 17th December 2007…we all spoke to her that morning and she was so happy! But as we approached Ibadan we kept calling but we couldn’t reach her. we slept at Ibadan that night and planned to see her the next morning. Same thing happened in the morning she still didn’t pick up. We all had our baths and packed our stuff ready to go. My dad went out of the house to get a call when he came back inside he just sat down. My little brother who was just 7 kept asking “Daddy, when are we going to see Mummy?”. My dad just looked at us and said ‘soon’. All of a sudden we were asked to come out of the room to the sitting room… I heard people crying and the first thing I thought of, was my grandmom was dead, I looked around and saw she was there, crying, I was confused.

My uncle spoke for a while and finally he said:

“Your Mother, is Dead!”.
I Screamed “NO!!!!!”

I have heard of death, but I never really understood what it was. That day, my dad said we should just pray for her. I prayed like i have never have… I prayed… I touched Heavens…God.. I really prayed.

My Mom never woke up.

As the years went by my dad did his best to make us feel loved, he tried his best to be both parents to us. Things were not just easy for me, I was the only female being in the house. I found it difficult to have female friends, any friend I choose people would say she’s a bad influence on me. I hated being treated as a boy.

Like, I think differently. My emotions are more heightened and many other things. i just didn’t like it.

Sooner than I ever wished, I lost my virginity. I was really sad, i couldn’t talk to anyone about it, gradually my sex life worsened and I still couldn’t talk to anyone.
Majorly because i didn’t want to let anyone down or have people pity me or judge me.

As i grew up I learnt to keep many things to myself, I smile and act like everything is fine even when nothing is but I hate being moody I just try to be happy.

Hiding everything, beneath the smile.

• • •

Do not just read, say a prayer.

A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS?

N.B. The project goes on with Tomorrow’s  ’Her Story, XV’ by @AuntyDerpina

You can still send in your own true stories to obafuntay@gmail.com

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