From my Heart (1) – Not settling for what is easy!



Life can be hard; it presents us with a lot of challenges. From the moment we were conceived, we faced a tortuous and long course in the journey called life. Not everyone who started this journey made it to the end. Many succumbed to the travails and pains of daily living. We are happy to be alive and to still have the opportunity to avail ourselves of what tomorrow brings. We are always faced with choices: big and small. From the clothes we wear to the school we attend; from the food we eat to the job we do; we are always in a position to choose. Sometimes, though, it seems life make some choices easy for us. It presents us with an easy option. Should we always settle for what is easy? How do I mean?

To illustrate my point, let me use the following scenario. A lady grew up in a community where many of the adult women settle for a road-side trade or farming. Most of them have just primary or secondary level of education. They take pride in getting married and raising a family. Of course, all of these are noble goals. So this lady in question grew up and she had an easy choice to make: attain basic education, learn to do a petty trade or farm work, learn to raise a family, get married and settle down. It’s an easy choice because that is what her mother, her older female siblings, and adult women in the community did; just follow the tide and you are okay. But, what if this lady says, ‘No, I want more from my life’? ‘I want to go to the university. I want a professional career.’ Now, that’s a more difficult path. Even her close friends question her judgement. They wonder, ‘How are you going to get the support you need to achieve those dreams?’ This lady is not sure herself, so she stuttered when she gave her answers. She was not sure how she could succeed in following a different path; but is sure as hell that she’s not going to give up without a fight. She took her plans to her parents, guardians, and all those concerned about her welfare. She suffered a lot in the struggle to make her dream a reality. But, in the end, she was successful. She made it and shone the light for other girls to follow. ‘If she could make it, we too can make it.’

Now, this lady could have saved herself the trouble by giving in to the easy path: the one that her community and her heritage have laid out for her. But, she refused to settle for what is easy and convenient. She would not be counted as just one of them but as one who held her own. She would not be just like the others but as the one other people want to be like. She chose different. Granted, not all who chose differently made it; but we remember them the most. There is nothing new in being like everyone else. What is new and remarkable is having the courage to stand apart!

Life presents us with choices. Also, life can also make some of these choices easy: ‘just do it like this because that is what every other person does.’ But remember, the easy path is not always the right path; neither is the easy path always the wrong path. It all comes down to the choices we make and the consequent realities of those choices. If a man does things simply because that is what every other person does, is that courage? Is he not just doing his due diligence? If a man sends his child to school because other parents do that, has he done anything out of the ordinary? But, if he strives to send the child to a good school, if he makes sure the child gets everything he/she needs, if he saves for the child’s education and the child’s future, if he keeps his family size small so that he can make a difference in that child’s life, won’t that really be something? That you have difficulties in a path you’ve chosen in life does not necessarily make it a bad choice. In fact, when we make decisions that are not very popular and that does not follow the norm, we should expect challenges. The thing is: don’t settle for something simply because it’s easy. Life is not easy and every good thing in life is worth the fight and effort. I wish you all the best. From my heart!


©Dr Eugene’s Column (http://dreugeneojirigho.blogspot.com/)

©Dr Eugene’s Blogs (http://dreugeneoji.blogspot.com/)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

I've closely followed COVID-19 coverage for more than 1 year. Here are my key takeaways. (Part 1)

In January of 2020, I started seeing news of a novel illness in China. At that time, I didn't give it much attention because of the then ongoing impeachment trial of Donald Trump. One of my favourite pastimes is following up on current news and topical issues. So, it was towards the end of the impeachment trial that the news of this new infectious disease in China started picking steam in the traditional and social media. The possibility of a new transmissible infection reaching the shores of Africa, for me, was a dreadful thing to think about because it brings back the memories of the 2014 Ebola crisis in West Africa. As a practicing health care worker in Nigeria, I remember how it felt seeing febrile patients with history of travel to regions with confirmed Ebola cases. The last thing I wanted was to relive that experience. Hence, out of fear, anxiety and much trepidation, I closely followed every key event related to this novel viral illness that later came to be named COVID-19 ...
Read more

Reflections: A Moment of a Lifetime!

Image
We all have had a moment in our lives that we would always live to remember. That special moment when the earth stood still and the universe became your audience. Yes, that very moment you became the epicenter of the universe. The moment that remains indelibly marked in your heart and mind. That moment he saw her; that moment she saw him, and they both knew that they were meant to be together forever. That moment you stopped in your life’s pursuits and realized that your life has a larger purpose and meaning. That moment you made your life’s dreams come through. That moment you were declared a doctor or lawyer or engineer or the likes of that. Yes, that moment you began your life’s career. That moment you got a promising job. That moment you stepped from the plane and you began a new phase of your life. That moment you stood at the altar, took an oath and swore your undying love for your life partner and then opened a whole new chapter in the history of your life. That moment yo...
Read more

Reflections: A Sense of Humour! A Sense of Balance!

Image
It helps to look at the light side of things. If someone insults you or make you angry, can you look at the funny side of it and smile about it, it can go a long way to ease the tension! When you sense that people laugh at you because of a defect you have, can you preempt them by joking about it? For example, I’m short and dark. If someone wants to pick on me, that will be his first point of call. So, I joke a lot about my been short and dark like, ‘black pot’, ‘black charcoal’, ‘briefly summarized’, etc such that when so insulted that won’t be the first time. Don’t be discouraged, whatever defect you have if you can’t change it then take advantage of it. What you lack vertically, you can make up horizontally. What you lack in length, you can make up in width. What you lack in colour, you make up in contour. What you lack anteriorly, you can make up posteriorly. What you lack superiorly, you can make up inferiorly. What you lack outwardly, you can make up in...
Read more