For gospel musician Bernice Offei, Life Is Short was more than just a song. It was a reflection born from a simple family moment that suddenly made her realise how quickly life passes.
Now, following her death at 63 yesterday, the story behind the song has taken on a poignant new meaning.
Bernice, in an interview, recalled how she used to laugh as a teenager whenever her parents struggled to read without reading glasses.
At the time, she said, she could not understand why her parents needed the glasses and found the situation amusing.
Years later, however, she found herself doing exactly what her parents had done.
“My kids didn’t understand why I was doing that. And they were also finding it funny and were actually laughing at me,” she recalled.
It was that moment of recognition that made her stop and reflect on the passage of time.
“I realised that, hey, it was just like yesterday,” she said.
For Bernice, the experience became reminder that life is fleeting.
“That actually told me the truth about life, that it’s really short. And we really don’t have all the time here on earth,” she explained.
That realisation inspired Life Is Short, a song through which she encouraged listeners to consider the purpose of their lives and their relationship with God.
“We have a purpose here on earth. God has brought us here for a purpose. And we need to make sure that we give a good account of our lives,” she said.
Bernice said her conviction was also strengthened by the death of a young friend shortly before she recorded the song.
She explained that the young man was a student at Archimedes School and one of a group of students she had been following up with after visiting their home to share the word of God.
His death served also reminded her of the fragility of life.
“One day he’s actually going to call each and every one of us to stand before him,” she said, referring to God.
She therefore ended her reflection with a message that was central to the song and her faith: “I do hope that when that day comes, you will be ready to meet the Lord.”
For an artiste whose music was deeply rooted in her Christian faith, Life Is Short now stands as one of the songs that captures the message she spent much of her career sharing: that life is temporary, and how one lives it matters.
