FIRE BURN!

The lion paces in the jungle looking for its next prey with ease, prowling around in between the trees, hiding in the shrubs waiting patiently crouching down ready for the attach. It is a predator & declared the king of the jungle. It takes on the big giants without much of a fuss. Though it is small compared to its adversaries, the likes of the elephant, the buffalo it takes them head on. When it is within its elements, it has no fear or favour but goes all out to conquer that which stands in its way. 

I am not here to school you about the wildlife origins but just to show you that you are your own projectile in achieving what you set your mind to & how you view yourself. Have you ever noticed that when you look at a burning flame from a fire you realize that it has the potential of either being destructive or constructive depending on how you interact with it? At the current moments we are continuously bombard with the what ifs in our lives, to the extent of feeling we want to pull the hairs on heads from their very roots. 

Those who are lucky enough & are bald like me, you can but only rub your head so hard like a lamp with a jinni to be granted your three wishes. Did you know that one of the most common cliché expressions, “Rome was not built in one day” is vastly misunderstood? Where people have deemed it to mean that when are in our go getter attitude we spare no lives & burn all the bridges along the way (I may be wrong). This may not have any significance to some, but from how I have come to understand it, it means that it takes time to achieve great things. 

Anyway, we all have our own interpretation of the expression. One may take its literal meaning or go for an in-depth historical understanding. Did you also know that when we deny the story, it defines us. When we own the story, we can write a new brand & new ending. We at times feel like our lives are on a continuous downward spiral that keeps tumbling down without any stopping. Wondering to ourselves will we ever catch a break or a shackled to fate & the doom that it spells out for us. 

We become so caught up on how bad things are going that we forget that we can rise above it all. We let ourselves be corned at times not by choice to having nowhere to turn or escape. It could be that our emotions over power us that we yield to them, it could be that our surroundings get us into a chock hold we can’t breathe, it could be that we give in to the peer psychology that our acts become not of our own, it could be that we feel pressured that we fake it till we make it & so forth. 

No single journey of any of us, is similar to the other as we are having our own set course that has its own unpredictability. You are only limited by that which you dream, think & imagine. If you dream small or deem yourself limited, you shall be stuck in the whirlwind that goes round & round in a circle with the same thing over & over, not leading anywhere. You should by now know that your value doesn't decrease based on someone's inability to see your worth. Never let anyone tell you that you can't do something, because the Bible says you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. 

It may seem like an eternity till those pearly gates upon up for you to bestow upon you the intended good tidings to make your life better. It is said that if one door closes, another will open. If am to rephrase it, I will put it as follows, “if one door closes, go through the window & if that is also closed rejoice in the corridors till your time arrives”. What you think of yourself is more important than what the world thinks of you. Yes, you can object & say, “but have I not being raised by the society & to conform to the ways that be?”. 

Let me ask you a question, does the society feed you, cloth you, educate you, build you, calm you down, comfort you in your trying times, give you joy or is it more of judging you. You must be willing to do things today others won't do, in order to have the things tomorrow others won't have. If you allow sorrow to be your daily companion, you shall get drunk in its intoxicating fumes. If you look at the unfairness that is life, you shall be stuck in depressing state of asking what if. If you continue to get consumed with your vices, you shall no longer be able to recognize yourself. 

When we let that which we interact with take control of our lives, we shall be stuck in that quick sand, panicking why we can’t get out. Only to realize that if you keep calm, collect yourself & try just a bit to reason & clear the fog, a picture will form to the way forth & you can get out of this sand that is engulfing you. You are meant to hit like thunder & disappear like smoke. In such a way that your acts or success speaks for you without much interpretation or your saying so. You don't have to be great to get started, but you have to get started to be great.

I will pen off for now & leave you with the words of the renowned motivational speaker Les Brown who said, “I choose not to be a common person, it is my right to be uncommon if I can. I seek opportunity & not security, I do not wish to be a kept citizen, humbled & dull by having the state look after me. I want to take the calculated risk, to dream & to build. To fail & to succeed, I refuse to live from hand to mouth. I prefer the challenges of life, to the guaranteed existence. The thrill of fulfillment to the state of a common utopia. I will never cower before any master nor bend to any threat. It is my heritage to stand erect, prouder than afraid to face the world boldly & say this I have done”.

SEIZING THE OPPORTUNITY!

God, I thank you that I am alive, breathing, have functioning body parts, people who love & care about me, seen yet another year that was only as per you will. I may not be a significant part of the world but I am grateful that you consider me as your child. Almighty Father, I humbly come to you seeking that you may watch over me, guide me, show me the path to take, protect me & make me a light for others. May you be with those whom I know & whom I don’t know. I pray this, believing & trusting in your Holy name, Amen! 

This is indeed a new year that we are all looking forward to like the way a small child takes in a sweet, with eyes wide open filled with hope, smiles on their lips, eagerness & the excitement of wonderful tidings. For starters it has now become common knowledge that vaccines have been made, getting improved day in & out & are now getting approved for distribution globally that is at least some good news, don't you think! 

It is upon you & me to make this year different. Most important we should not forget to adhere to the covid-19 regulations of masking up, social distancing, washing your hands thoroughly/sanitizing, staying at home unless it is a must to go outside & so on. So be your sister/brother's keeper it is our responsibility to be there for one another. Well then, am guessing a number of you celebrated the new year in all manner of forms (presumably in a responsible manner, not to be a party pooper as I am no moral police).

The expectation is that this year will be more fulfilling, one filled with hope & great expectations. "Today is the present, the present is a gift like no other given upon us by the God Lord Almighty. Today is a chance to make the present worthwhile for the future". You are the determinant factor in the balance of the expected life that you desire for which is inclusive of other factors that be. Did you know that even if you fail today, you are not the first to do so. Many have failed before you, even yours truly, me! 

This is just a part of life, what does matter is how you handle the situation that you are in. Do you let the situation get to you or do you seize the opportunity & learn from it? The way we are engineered is that whenever a situation becomes challenging we instantly see it as a problem, a barrier that can't be crossed & an obstacle that we deem will be tasking to move through or over. In your day to day living, if you do not like where you are now, move! You are not a tree. 

How we perceive the world is solely based on our perception & not what the society deems it be so. Did you know that it takes some courage to stand up & speak? It also takes even more courage to open your mind & listen. You may ask, how can I do this? Let me tell you something, reading is not something that comes easily for most. Fortunately, I have developed a habit of collecting books here & there over the years since being a young lad not just the fictional ones (like the hard boys, nancy drew, pace setters etc) but also that which can build/better me one way or another. 

At the current moment am feasting my eyes on the book titled "Running with the Kenyans by Adharanand Finn". Am trying to not just get captivated by the content gracing the white (or is it cream) pages & the simple tiny font.  but also see how applicable it can be to my life, considering that I participate in taking on nature by running for leisure, physical, psychological & mental well-being. It may seem like a long shot but have you not realized that if you put your mind to something nothing seems or becomes unreachable. 

A true friend is any one who can help you get to your destiny. You should know that everyone make mistakes in life, but that does not mean that they have to pay for them the rest of their lives. Sometimes good people make bad choices. It does not mean that they are bad, it simply means that they are human. It is upon the discovery of this that sometimes, what you are most afraid of doing is the very things that will set you free. 

Why do I say this? Most times when a year starts we have the weakness of jotting down or swearing to one resolution or another. Well, it may be effective but that only works for some time then you get back to square one. I have had wise counsel that your deeds or words do have a ripple effect that is unprecedented due to the weight that they bear. Who you are, is a determinant of how you perceive yourself. If you opt to resign to fate you will be unable to achieve that which you desire. 

Take an example of one starting off their own business, you could be saying it over & over in your head for a while but it is only when you actually take the first step of setting it up that you realize it is a possibility. When you take that leap of faith nothing will be out of bounds for you as a dreamer & achiever. When you say that you want to be more financially stable but all you do is spend, spend, spend like as if there is no tomorrow. You are still doing the same old habit that puts you in financial turmoil. 

I usually advise that for those who are salaried or certain of having an income. When you get paid at the beginning or end of the month, you need to have your prioritize in check. First & foremost you need to pay off your bills which entail rent, water & electricity as well as food. Then you need to set aside some monies for investment as well as savings for a rainy day. The most common mistake that people always make is spending first then saving what remains this becomes a handicap that curbs growth towards financial freedom. 

If you are set for change, you need to push that pause button & reset your train of thought. Otherwise you will go round & round like a merry go round with no fruitful end in sight. We are meant to learn from the days of old but we are more inclined to hang onto the memories that were hindering our stepping forward in the lime light that awaits us. I will share more insights about what life offers next time, for now take in this quote: 

"Be so confident about God's plan that you don't even get upset anymore when things don't go your way".