I am named after the goddess, Obba, goddess of hearth and home.  I will be honest to admit that I never liked the story of my namesake.  A married woman, that had to share her husband with her three sisters, and even though her children were to inherit their father's throne, she was not the favored wife.  Filled with so much longing for her husband, she cut off her own ear to win his favor.  It was said that jealousy among the sisters led to that advice.  I never really fancied that thought, to have a relationship like that with my sisters.  I always loved and admired them, and that is truly what hearth and home is all about:  family.

In some tales, the original Obba was rejected when he found her ear in his salad, and banished from his kingdom.  So filled with sorrow, she took her own life.  In others, he was so overcome with awe, she finally won his favor.  I seek to remind you of your true worth, and that no "love" is worth harming yourself over.  I come to Earth, and seek out the broken-hearted, and the rejected.

My mother and many of my sisters, we choose to live as humans do.  Our mother is all about motherhood, and rearing another child.  Ododuwa tends to live more as a single woman for as long as she can before she settles down.  I choose the more domestic kind of path, and teach the other women around me how to be that devoted kind of wife. 

Every once in awhile, I will come across a woman, that will think of me as less than her.  "I will never allow myself to succumb to a man."  One such woman said that in front of my sister, Ododuwa.  "DO not speak to my sister in such a manner!"  She slapped the face of that woman very hard. 

In that moment, my sister almost lost her status.  Almost.  She was the fiercest warrior of them all.  They would not be able to take her on physically, though they did question her authority and reasoning.

"There is nothing wrong with my sister's life path!  True, it is not a path for everybody, but she has never once told a woman that she is better than them because their path is different than hers.  You should show her that same courtesy!" 

They did not question her anymore.

There were legends of the Goddesses we were named after.  Legends of power and strife.  Among them was a story of a rivalry between two sisters, Obba and Oshun.  Fortunately for me, my sister thought the world of me, and I her.  This was a day I felt like visiting her.  Imagine my surprise when I found so many already at her abode.  I was even more delighted to find most of them were family.

"What is going on over here?  Is there a party without me?"

"Obba," said Oshun, giving me a hug.  I laughed watching young Ahuana play with the Ibeji twins.

As they weer playing, I watched my sister closely.  Both her sons resembled their Earth father.

"How long has it been since their father passed?" I asked her.

"About 20 years or so.  Most of their siblings have passed on too."

"Do you ever miss him?"

"I do sometimes, but he was angry with me when I refused to grow old and die with him."

"He really did that to you."

"He did.  He admitted he was hoping I would change my mind when we married."

"Well!"

"I agree.  It's a conversation I though we made ourselves clear on before we married."

"Do you think you will ever meet him again?"

"Life is a circle.  Even or lives, though for us it is simply longer.  I don't know that we will reclaim anything.  It always felt as if he were a passing ship, that we were meant to learn our lessons and then part our separate ways."

"Do you ever regret it?"

"No, no regrets.  I am very glad that I was able to experience the life of a regular, human woman.  Though if he had decided to follow me, I would have gladly let him."

"Hmm," I said.  "What is it like to have a human relationship?"

"Fleeting.  You best hang on to each good moment while you can.  The time to say goodbye will happen before you know it."

"Have you ever wondered when we will say goodbye?"

"Sooner or later we all wish to move on.  For the moment, I am content.  And I very much enjoy that I have the ability to help so many as I have."

"As do I."

We were quiet for a moment more, simply watching and visiting, letting the young ones be young.

"So what are these young ones doing now?" I asked.

"I believe they are trying to organize a family get together, for all three of our clans."

"You mean the Orisha's, the Alusi, and the Guanche's?  Oh my, that will be a large number of people."

"Indeed it will.  I'm rather hoping they will meet at the Guanche's part of the Sky Dome."

"Really?" I say.  "Why not the Orisha clan?"

"The Guanche have this lovely courtyard I hear, with a flowing fountain.  The fountain, once you peer in, will let you see your one true love."

I laughed.  "It's going to take quite a man indeed for him to be the true love of mine,"

"For me as well, sister."

"Do you believe there even is such a thing?"

"I like to think that everyone has something to offer and give, if only we are ready."

"Do you think we are ready?" I asked Oshun.

Oshun stared at her twin boys.  "Yes. I think that I am.  Are you?"

"Maybe."

"I wonder if Oya will find herself a mate from that fountain."

"Oh my!  That will be the day."

"What will," said Oya.  She had just stepped into our hearing range.

"Oh Oya," said Oshun.  We both hug her and her daughter.  "What brings you to my Earthly abode?"

"I am very curious about these youngsters," she said.  "I think I shall follow them, and see where this leads."

"Interesting," I said.  "Perhaps I will stick around as well."