…not DOWNTOWN, but pun fully intended.

I was torn between ‘W is for Worthiness and Wisdom’ —a heavy but compelling choice—and ‘The Will,’ as in the legal document, not the magazine. After two hours of indecision and even a coin toss, I landed here.

Yet here I sit, staring at a blank page, my thoughts flooding in a million directions. So, I’ll do what I’ve learned works best when my ideas refuse to organise themselves: I’ll tell you a story. For all intents and purposes, it is fiction — or so I hope.

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful woman named Presque. Her name, meaning ‘almost,’ was a poetic foreshadowing of her life’s trajectory — a juxtaposition of triumphs and tragedies, light and darkness. Presque’s childhood was a harrowing tapestry of pain. She endured sexual abuse, neglect, and malnourishment. She was exposed to the chaotic worlds of sex, drugs, and rock and roll far too young.

By the time she reached adulthood, many around her had forgiven her darker tendencies, attributing them to her traumatic past. Others admired her resilience. After all, she was the only one in her circle who had never gone to prison.

Presque seemed
to transition into a
‘normal’ adult life.

She married, had children, and built a successful business.

By all appearances, she was thriving.

Her lavish lifestyle was an #unshakable contrast to the poverty and chaos of her upbringing. Yet beneath this façade lay a festering darkness. She battled an unhealthy relationship with drugs and alcohol, compounded by a string of regrettable decisions.

She was a paradox: a woman who could light up a room with her brilliance and yet, in her private moments, wrestled with demons that refused to let her go.

When the light within her won, she achieved remarkable things.

She was a beacon of inspiration to those around her. No one cheered louder for her than I did. But when the darkness took over, she spiralled. I tried to stand by her side through it all.

My empathy for her was #unshakable, but it came at a cost. Too often, in trying to pull her out of the abyss, I found myself dragged into the depths alongside her.

The end of her story was devastating. She left her marriage. She lost her business. She lost her fighting spirit.

Presque, the woman who had almost conquered her past, seemed to lose the will to fight for her future. She died intestate — without a Will.

What followed her death was a nightmare. The lack of a Will meant that her estate was thrown into chaos.

Legal battles ensued, tearing apart what little remained of her legacy.

Relationships crumbled as people fought over her possessions, her business, and her memory. It was a grim reminder of how the absence of a simple document could magnify the pain of an already tragic loss.

Ever since I have been haunted by the idea of the Will—not just the legal document but the #unshakable resolve to live with intention, to plan for the inevitable, and to leave behind more than just memories.

Presque’s story has become a cautionary tale, a reminder that life’s most bizarre twists often rival the drama of fiction.

Presque almost made it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She almost conquered the darkness. She almost secured her legacy. But ‘almost’ is a fragile word. It leaves too much to chance, too much unfinished. And so, I wish she had written a Will.

To those reading this, let Presque’s story be a lesson.

Write your Will, regardless of your age or your plans for the future. Secure your legacy, not just in the material sense, but in the clarity and peace you leave behind for those you love. And beyond the legalities, nurture the #unshakable will within you — the will to live, to fight, and to leave the world a little brighter for having been here.

Do you have a Will?

‘See’ you next week.

Sally Chiwuzie
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IG Handle: @unshakable.is.a.state.of.mind