Reflections: Short Notes 1
Long
Road Trip
In
a long road trip, the one who started first does not necessarily come out
first; the outcome does not really depend on who started first. For example,
when you take a long road trip say from Kano to Benin,
the fact that you took the first bus for Benin does not mean you'll get to Benin first. A lot can happen: mechanical
failure, driver's fatigue, traffic jams, bad weather, etc. So too is the
journey of life. Those who started first don't
necessarily come out tops. So what matters more is not when you started but how
well you persevere in what you've started. The scriptures did not say, 'He who
started the course of endurance will be saved,' but he who endured to the end
will be saved. We undertake different journeys in the course of our lives and
the journey of our lives can take different courses: education, jobs/career,
marriage, family etc. It does not matter when or where you started. The one who
can truly lay claim to success is the one who persevered to the end in spite of
all the odds. Persevere in a good course and may you find success in your way. Have
a successful day, folks!
Be
Smart!
You don't need an education to be
smart. The mere fact that you're educated doesn't mean you're smart. Some of
the smartest people on earth do not have a formal education; rather they are
people with a keen sense of observation. In my little working
experience, I've met men and women with little or no formal
education, yet very smart. Hence, I get angry when some use their lack of
education or exposure to act dumb. One mother brought her critically ill-child
to the hospital. Instead of raising the attention of the health workers to the
seriousness of her child's condition, she sat down quietly in the waiting queue
with the baby covered with a cloth. Before it got to her turn, the baby died in
her arms. It was when the health worker on duty was examining the child that
she got to know her child was dead. Sad! That's not shyness. She was plain dumb
because while she was on the queue with her very sick child, other mothers were
drawing attention of the hospital staffs to their children whose conditions
were not as bad. A smart mother would have been observant and she would have
acted to save her baby.
One night I was on call (duty), one
very young mother brought her sick child to the hospital. She was not educated,
but she was one of the smartest women I've ever met. She came alone
with her baby. The husband was not at home, but when she saw the condition of
her child, she did not wait. She got some money and brought the child to the
hospital. No friend or relative accompanied her, yet in the dead of night she
brought her child to the hospital. When I saw this young mother, she showed
maturity beyond her years! I was so touched that after admitting the child,
instead of just leaving instructions with the night nurse, I stayed with the
child for several hours making sure nothing went wrong. Few days later, the
child got better and was discharged home. This happened long ago but I remember
it so vividly as though it happened yesterday. Nurture a keen sense of
observation of your environment and be smart with what you learn. It could be a
life-saver.
Misguided Confidence!
You hail a bike or a cab, you tell
the driver your destination, and he agrees to take you there. But, alas! He has
no clue where you are going. He believes you'll direct him as he drives along
or he will gain uncanny inspiration as he drives along. God help you if you
share the same ignorance. You know after a learner, one driving under the
influence of drugs or alcohol, and one who is drowsy on the wheels, the next
worst driver is one who does not know where he is going. He is a confused man.
He lacks confidence. He drives hesitantly. His nightmare is a four-road
junction because he knows not where to turn. If you're his passenger, you'll
endure a merry-go-round. You may wonder: why did he not admit his ignorance
initially and save everyone including himself such embarrassment and stress.
Well, the bike man or cab driver is not alone in displaying misguided
overconfidence. Some health workers, bankers, lawyers and other professionals
share the same proclivity. It's an act of professional dignity and courteous
etiquette to humbly admit to our limitations before irreparable damages occur. I will take an honest man to a grandstanding, self-indulging
professional any day. Stay safe!
A man of Understanding!
There are times when understanding
surpasses love. When you make a mistake, a friend who loves you can gloss over
it, the man who understands you can accommodate it. Your love for someone can
make you angry when that person errs but your deep understanding of why the
person erred can calm you down. There are times I would rather camp my tent
with the man who understands me rather than he who loves me. Understanding is
application of knowledge. Getting to know your friends and then understanding
their course of action is important. You might hate me when you just know me
but you will love me if you understand me!
Don’t be deceived!
The best of advisers, counselors, ministers do not necessarily make the
best of husbands, wives or friends. Otherwise, one would expect a psychologist
or an inspirational speaker to have the best family. But that's not always the
case. Some are gifted in reading other people and helping to solve the problems
of others but they fail miserably in getting a read on their own lives and in
handling their own affairs. They are only so good as to make the best show to
the world while they may be hurting on the inside. It's not necessarily their
fault. The fact is mortal man is imperfect; and in an imperfect world, you
can't have it all. No man has it all. So if you see a man or woman gives or
writes a great speech/article, enjoy it because that may be all he's got.
Frankly, he/she maybe is overcompensating for other failings in life. This is not
always the case. While no one has it all, some certainly have it more. In any
case, don't get fooled or carried away just by the 'bling.’
Moments of Grief!
Moments like these, you can't help
but remember loved ones lost in death. Dear ones who went away too soon. The
sheer emotions we feel and express finds resonance in the common humanity we
all share. While different tribes speak different languages and differ on the
depth and manner of the grieving process, we are all united in grief. No heart
of stone in grief. One cold blooded serial killer admitted grieving over one of
his victims. Grief knows no bounds or boundaries. True grief occurs, not in the
view of loved ones or members of the public, but in the quiet tears shed at
those private moments when the world is so lonely.
Moments of Exquisite Joy!
Have u seen something that made you so joyful that
you shed so much tears of joy? Something that held your entire being captive to
an amazing delight! Something that made you realize how wonderful and beautiful
this life could be! Something that made you lost in thoughts of the sheer
capacity of the human spirit to persevere, persist, and prevail in spite of all
the odds, proving beyond all doubts that there is value in living this life!
There are times we have this experience and we can't hold back the tears of
joy. May we live to see this and may we be highly inspired much more than words
could ever express!
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