Being in Love – The Greatest Feeling Ever!

It's the greatest feeling ever: loving someone and being loved in return. While this may be evident in all sorts of relationships, I will focus on a man and a woman in love. This experience is so wonderful and thrilling that anyone who has not experienced it has not lived. I've experienced it and I’m so thrilled to relive it here. We have an amazing feeling when we buy something new, like a new car or a new house. We also feel great when we attain a new epoch in life: graduating from school, getting a new and befitting job, having our own accommodation, etc. Many also feel elated when they are successful in their various endeavours. Some feel exuberant, albeit transiently, when they are under the influence of drugs, alcohol, tobacco etc. Nevertheless, there is no feeling that can be remotely compared to that of a man and a woman in love. It is a feeling that has confounded man for ages.

"There are ... things that are too amazing for me,

... that I do not understand:

the way of a man with a young woman." - Proverbs 30: 18-19 NIV

The Feeling! It feels like the whole world has stopped in its tracks and that everything on earth pales into insignificance. Nothing else matters. You feel free, liberated like the birds of the heavens, growing wings and flying the world over. The feeling can't be described; it is simply ineffable. You experience sensations that are more profound than those of the five basic senses. The emotions are grand. You feel joy, happiness, peace, tenderness, graciousness, comfort, you name it. In short, you certainly have this feeling that is so unique and distinct. Nothing you have read or heard can prepare you for the overwhelming yet pleasurable rush of the amazing thrills of a man in love. Words can't express the feeling of been in love. Yet expressing these emotions in words has been the cornerstone of epic writings. Love utterances abound in the Bible, the works of William Shakespeare, and in so many other books, articles, songs, poems and sayings penned down by man.

"Place me like a seal over your heart,

like a seal on your arm;

for love is as strong as death,

its jealousy unyielding as the grave.

It burns like blazing fire,

like a mighty flame.

Many waters cannot quench love;

rivers cannot sweep it away." - Song of Songs 8: 6 - 7 NIV

"Love is a spirit all compact of fire."

(Venus and Adonis, 151)*

You Glow! One in love can't keep it hidden. His/her expressions betray what is felt on the inside. You will know a man/woman in love. He/she is all smiles even without provocation. The laughs are loud, prolonged and exaggerated. He becomes unusually conversational, picks interest in things that were once boring to him. He's very apologetic about any mistakes he makes at work or in his dealings with others. She is very chatty: on the phone and with others. She stays on the phone for hours: night and day. She talks about everything; from small silly childish things to issues of great value. She lays awake late into the night thinking about him, talking to him and about him. Even a shy and reserved person can not hide the glory of been in love.

"Doubt thou the stars are fire;

Doubt that the sun doth move;

Doubt truth to be a liar;

But never doubt I love."

(Hamlet, 1.2.123-6)*

It Grows! It matters not whether it's love at first sight or love with hindsight; love grows. Make no mistake, true and enduring love is like a tender plant that needs to be cultivated, nourished and made to blossom and flourish. It's a rule of the more you give, the more you receive. Love, whether it began as a thunderbolt or an undercurrent, will wither away if it's not nurtured. There is nothing like once in love, always in love. It's like a beauty: nothing beautiful will remain that way without proper maintenance. Remembering what brought the first spark of love can keep the embers of love burning. It is a thing of amazing radiance to watch love mature from larva to pupa and then to a full-blown adult entity with wings that can fly.

"My bounty is as boundless as the sea,

My love as deep; the more I give to thee,

The more I have, for both are infinite."

(Romeo and Juliet, 2.2.139-41)*

"This bud of love, by summer's ripening breath,

May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet."

(Romeo and Juliet, 2.2.121-2)*

Madly in Love! Love can drive one crazy, literally and otherwise. It can make one do stupid things. Nonetheless, that's part of the magic of love; it's like been under a spell. Don't spare yourself the embarrassment of being intoxicated with the liquor of love; it's worth every ounce.

"If thou remember'st not the slightest folly

That ever love did make thee run into,

Thou hast not loved."

(As You Like It, 2.4.33-5)*

A Sense of Purpose! How often we see some who've lost focus in life with no sense of purpose or direction, gain a resurgence of hope when they fall in love. When I was in school, I saw persons who were about giving up on the pursuits of their dream career, re-energized by the love and support shown by their loved ones. While some got carried away by 'love' at the detriment of their life's goal, a good number of individual benefited from the love of a very dear friend. I know guys whose relationship started in school, the moment they graduate, they are driven by the singular purpose of getting a good job, getting married to their soulmate and settling down to raise a family. That is not the case with others who graduate unattached. This group often find themselves getting a job before settling for a relationship all the while wondering whether the other person likes them for who they are or for the money they earn. My little experience has revealed that guys who start dating in school marry much earlier than those who wait after school. I also know that this is not always the case, but more often than not this is what happens. I know working-class guys who waste a lot of money craving for a semblance of love, money that could have been channelled into raising a family. So, isn't it obvious that a man/woman in love is purposeful, focused and driven towards more noble and honourable goals than one who is not? Don't get me wrong: there are those who make commitments to remaining single so as to pursue praiseworthy goals of much higher education, travelling abroad, being a minister of God or simply as a personal preference. Individuals who make genuine and conscientious efforts to keep romantic love at bay to pursue lofty goals in life deserve our utmost respect. My people say in local parlance, ‘e nor easy.’ For those with this God-given gift of singleness as espoused in the Bible, the love they have for God is of far-excelling value and God rewards them. Remember, there has to be love. Charles Dickens once quoted as saying, '“'Tis love that makes the world go round, my baby”#. To achieve lofty goals in life, to be filled with purpose and to have a life full of meaning, seek love today. The love of God exceeds all others. In his love God gave us the capacity to fall in love with a member of the opposite sex. If you've attained genuine romantic love, may the love you have for God move you to cultivate, nurture and hone this love into a union blessed by God: marriage.

"Have I caught thee, my heavenly jewel? Why, now let

me die, for I have lived long enough."

(The Merry Wives of Windsor, 3.3.35-6) *

"A heart well worth winning, and well won.

A heart that, once won, goes through fire and water for

the winner, and never changes, and is never daunted.”

(Charles Dickens)#

Living Responsibly! Love makes you responsible. If you are truly and sincerely in love with someone, you will do everything not to hurt that person. There are people whose entire course of life turned for the better the moment they fell in love. I've known persons who stopped an amoral lifestyle so they can be deserving of the one they love. It's not that simple. Nevertheless, there are things that make people change their way of life: love of God, disasters, personal tragedies, embarrassment, guilt, etc. One of such force of change is romantic love between a man and a woman. Granted, change can be either for good or bad. All said, a man or woman who falls in love with a responsible person more often than not, strive to be more responsible themselves.

"Such is my love, to thee I so belong,

That for thy right myself will bear all wrong."

(Sonnet 88)*

Realizing your Potentials! It's inspirational. You get inspired to do things that you once thought were unattainable. Love and the message of love have inspired ordinary men and women to be great poets, playwrights, authors, musicians, actors and noble professionals in varying fields of human endeavour.

"But love, first learned in a lady's eyes,

Lives not alone immured in the brain;

But, with the motion of all elements,

Courses as swift as thought in every power,

And gives to every power a double power,

Above their functions and their offices."

(Love's Labours Lost, 4.3.327-55)*

“And Jacob proceeded to serve seven years for Rachel,

but in his eyes they proved to be like some few days

because of his love for her”-Gen. 29:20 (New World Translation)

“A loving heart is the truest wisdom.”

(Charles Dickens)#

It's Real! Some say true love does not exist. That's a blatant lie. Have you seen a man in love that became heartbroken? The symptomatology of heartbreak shows how real and powerful love is: sleeplessness, poor appetite, weight loss, apathy, listlessness, malaise, even depression or frank psychosis in some cases. The question is, if love is not real why does heartbreak hurt so much? Why do some go as far as committing suicide or hurting others when they are heartbroken? Some don't appreciate what they have until they lose it. Every human being has the capacity to love. Even a brutish, tyrannical dictator can fall in love. Adolf Hitler was in love even till death. It was the story of Romeo and Juliet at the end of World War 11:

"Eva Braun met Adolf Hitler the first time when she was working

as the assistant of Hitler's personal photographer Hoffmann. A

few weeks after this meeting she agreed to follow (Hitler) to his

mountain retreat in the alps. Their attraction was immediate,

and over the objection of her parents, she became his mistress.

For the next sixteen years, she lived in luxury as millions

suffered and died at the hands of her 'Wulf'. After he survived

the July 1944 plot she wrote him an emotional letter, ending:

'From our first meeting I swore to follow you anywhere - even

unto death - I live only for your love.' Eva Braun, the young

woman who had spent most of her life waiting for Hitler, would

now be with him forever. Eva Braun had agreed to share

Adolf Hitler's fate. A local magistrate married them early on the

morning of April 29, 1945. The next day at a little after 3:30 p.m.,

they bit into thin glass vials of cyanide. As he did so, Hitler also shot

himself in the head with a 7.65 mm Walther pistol."

- www.auschwitz.dk/braun.htm

A Cure! You feel whole, brand 'tear-rubber' new. Love heals; its portions provide wholistic cure. If two men are sick of the same illness and receive the exact same treatment, the one in love will get better quicker. The reverse is the case with the one that has a heartbreak.

“She's got a smile that heals me

I don't know why it is

But I have to laugh when she

reveals me.”

- Billy Joel (American Pianist,

Singer and Song Writer)#

Love and Music! Shakespeare once famously wrote in the Twelfth Night, ‘If music be the food of love, play on.’ Music has been a medium through which love is expressed throughout the ages. They are intrinsically intertwined. Love has inspired music and music has moved many to fall in love. True to Shakespeare, music has fuelled and fanned the flame of love.

“Where do broken hearts go

Can they find their way home

Back to the open arms

Of a love that's waiting there

And if somebody loves you

Won't they always love you

I look in your eyes

And I know that you still care, for me”

- Whitney Houston, ‘Where Do Broken Hearts Go’ (1)

"You see through,

Right to the heart of me.

You break down my walls

With the strength of your love.

I never knew

Love like I've known it with you."

- Whitney Houston, ‘I Have Nothing’ (1)

“I was blessed because I was loved by you

You were my strength when I was weak

You were my voice when I couldn't speak

You were my eyes when I couldn't see

You saw the best there was in me

Lifted me up when I couldn't reach

You gave me faith 'coz you believed

I'm everything I am

Because you loved me”

- Celine Dion, ‘ Because You Loved Me’ (1)

A Gift from God! I feel bad when people consider that God created us and simply left us on earth to suffer. While the issue of why evil exist is beyond the scope of this discourse, there are verifiable evidence that bear credence to the fact that we were created by an amazing and loving Father who gave us so much for us to enjoy life on earth, in spite of the ills that prevail now on our planet. God did not create us like mechanical robots that lack feeling, nor did he make us like zombies whose entire life course is programmed to follow a regimented pattern. No, rather he created us with the capacity to love, to feel, to care and to fall in love. Stop to think of it, how this life will look like without the capacity to love! In the beginning God created love:

" And Jehovah God proceeded to

build the rib that

he had taken from the MAN into

a WOMAN and to

bring her to the MAN.

Then the MAN said:

'This is at last bone of my bones

And flesh of my flesh.

This one will be called WOMAN,

Because from MAN

this one was taken.'

That is why a man will leave his

father and his mother and

he must stick to his wife and

they must become one FLESH"

-          Genesis 2: 23, 24 (New World Translation)

May you find love and stay in love because it's a gift from God. Let me leave you with one of the best love songs ever written:

The Colour Of My Love lyrics

(Songwriters: Foster, David; Janov, Arthur)

I'll paint my mood in shades of blue

Paint my soul to be with you

I'll sketch your lips in shaded tones

Draw your mouth to my own

I'll draw your arms around my waist

Then all doubt I shall erase

I'll paint the rain that softly lands on your wind-blown hair

I'll trace a hand to wipe out your tears

A look to calm your fears

A silhouette of dark and light

While we hold each other oh so tight

I'll paint a sun to warm your heart

Swearing that we'll never part

That's the colour of my love

I'll paint the truth

Show how I feel

Try to make you completely real

I'll use a brush so light and fine

To draw you close and make you mine

I'll paint the truth

Show how I feel

Try to make you completely real

I'll use a brush so light and fine

To draw you close and make you mine

I'll paint a sun to warm your heart

Swearing that we'll never part

That's the colour of my love

I'll draw the years all passing by

So much to learn so much to try

And with this ring our lives will start

Swearing that we'll never part

I offer what you cannot buy

Devoted love until we die

[. From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/c/celine-dion-lyrics/the-colour-of-my-love-lyrics.html .]

* excerpts from www.shakespeare-online.com

# excerpts from www.thinkexist.com

1. excerpts from www.lyrics007.com

Please note: the online links above were gotten from www.google.com

Thanks for reading it. I love you. Dr. Eugene A. O

In Moments of Grief (Redacted versions)!

When Death will be no more!

I remember him with a sense of pride.

He kept pace with each life's stride.

Sadly, cowardly Death sought him to blindside

In the last Yuletide!

It was one eventide,

While taking a snap Facebook glide

With a sad update my eyes collide.

My heart was torn from the inside.

I was beside

Myself with tears and scars hard to debride!

But, onto Jah I looked for aide;

In His ears my worries confide.

O God with comfort provide.

Your word may we abide;

To your way may we decide!

O, from your faith may we never backslide

And save us from Death's deride.

While we await the End-tide

When death and Hades collide

And into the lake of fire they'll slide:

The ultimate deathicide

And to Death the final woe betide.

With the Lamb adorned as bride,

Satan's evil machinations You'll override

And Your people in peace reside.

Putting our sorrows aside,

And allaying our pains earth wide!

There's no time to sit astride,

Into His word I took a thoughtful ride.

Revelation 21:3, 4 states: “Look!

The tent of God is with mankind,

and he will reside with them,

and they will be his peoples.

And God himself will be with them.

And he will wipe

out every tear from their eyes,

and death will be no more.

Caught in a Trance!

I went back in space

And I took a glimpse of her grace.

She had such balance and elegance

That you could mistook her race.

Just a glance

Made my heart to pace!

She was far more priceless than a golden necklace;

Her value exceeded the Senate mace.

She was an ace

In her home terrace

Holding bridges like an Italian shoelace.

She had the resilience of a neck brace.

Not even the treasures in King Solomon's palace

Could stand her pretty face!

She was hit by a menace

Like the general populace.

As the illness grew apace

Seeing her sad grimace

Take my heart apiece.

Too soon she was gone without a trace.

But I take solace

In the Prince of peace

A promise of ascendance

From the earth's undersurface

To the warm embrace

Of an everlasting physical essence;

While death is effaced in the burning furnace!

John 11: 25 states: “Jesus said to her: ‘I am the

Resurrection and the life. He that exercises

Faith in me, even though he dies,

Will come to life.”

Do! Do! Do! (It’s meant to be funny; if you don’t find it funny, that’s on you.)

Poor man! Let’s call him John. He woke up one morning and set out for work. He met his neighbour as he walked along. ‘Good morning!’

Neighbour replied: ‘Hello, how do you do?’

When he got to work, he greeted his co-worker. The co-worker replied:

‘Hello, you look dull. Did you sleep at all? What did you do?’

When he closed from work, he paid his best friend a visit. Jane has been a close friend for years and has been expecting her guy to man up and take their friendship to the next level. So, on this fateful day, Jane raised the issue again:

“You know we are not getting younger. All our mates are now married. Please, when are we going to say, ‘I do.’?”

John thought to himself:

‘How come every one is saying ‘do,’ ‘do,’ ‘do.’ today? Well, it’s night time. I’m done for today. Let me go to bed.’

While asleep, he had a dream. In his dream, a mad man was running after him with a cutlass. John was running as fast as he could all the while screaming, ‘What did I do? What did I do? What did I do?’ The mad man replied in a song:

‘Do me, I do you oh, o yeah! I nor run anymore. If I dey run before oh, I nor run anymore. If you do me, I go do you. Face me, I go face you. Rock me, I go rock you.’

John: ‘I nor do you anything oh.’ ‘I nor do nothing oh.’

Mad man: ‘You come knock on my door oh. E don happen oh. The thing wen you dey find oh, you go see am oh.’

John stepped on something and fell down. The mad man closed in on him and raised the cutlass to strike. At that moment, John woke up.

He suddenly realized he was having a nightmare. He shouted:

‘Wetin I do when you love me so. Jesus I love you oh, wellu wellu. Eh eh en, wellu wellu.’

Please, let’s call him John Dodo or John Doe. That’s it. I’m done.

Memories

My contemporaries:

Please, accept my heartfelt pleasantries.

I reminisce with happy memories

Of a time etched in personal diaries;

Those days at students’ halls and dormitories!

I’ve been with amazing visionaries,

Walked with men of great braveries

And competed with noble adversaries!

Comrades now spread to different countries.

On social media entries,

I hear remarkable commentaries,

Heartfelt stories

Of worthy luminaries!

My soul is filled with songs of heavenly canaries

As lovely imageries

Course through my cerebral capillaries,

And my heart glow like diamond jewelries!

Oh, may we find the time to maintain old chemistries;

The bonds of great chivalries!

As we make great strides and discoveries,

Serve as worthy ambassadors and dignitaries,

Fall in love and build family sanctuaries,

Let’s watch the calories,

Be wary of the lure of luxuries and revelries

And pray for divine favour and victories;

Long life and many more anniversaries!

My Reflections – Collections of My Short Sayings!

- I don't need to know so much about you. I know enough: you are human!

- I don't need to know so much about you. I know enough: you are a human being!

- Everyone makes mistakes. If you don't appreciate this fact, you're making a mistake.

- I can not presume to know exactly what difficulties you are going through but I know enough: life is tough. So, take heart people!

‎- The noisy neighbour is not the one with the most problems; rather he is just the one who can't keep his problems in-house.

‎- If it has happened once before, then by all means, it can happen again. There is nothing as potent as 'it has never ever happened before.'

‎- Fear is like steam from a boiling kettle. If you keep the kettle boiling long enough, the steam will get exhausted; in its place an eerie fearless calm!

‎- What makes a man wise is not so much as in knowing what to do but knowing when best to do it. In most cases, many know the right thing to do, but what makes some wise is doing the right thing at the best time.

‎- It's the height of hypocrisy to ask others to make a sacrifice that you're not willing to share in. True leaders take the lead charge.

‎- If you look at me long and hard enough, you'll surely recognize me from somewhere because, eh, I’m a human being like 7 billion others.

‎- There are songs you won't appreciate except you listen to them over and over again. In the same light, there are people whose worth you won't appreciate except you observe their actions again and again. Never be in a hurry to dismiss people we relate with.

‎- People who go out of their way and use their own hands to dig trouble for others might end up digging their own grave in the process.

‎- You should not bully people into doing what you think is right, because you might just succeed in intimidating them to do the very opposite.

‎- The language of success flows seamlessly from the mouth of a successful man. But he, who is unsuccessful, stutters in his words. If you're struggling to find the right words anytime you want to offer counsel of success, don't waste your energy. Go and be successful in your way, and you'll gain the right oratory!

‎- I often wonder why fraudsters use the same tactics and tricks over and over and over again. Then I thought, 'because it still works'. Even when conmen change tactics, there is one human element that will not change: Greed.

‎- If you don't want to get lost in a crowded market place, walk in a straight path.

‎- When you keep telling others lies about yourself, after a while you'll begin to believe the lies yourself and your life becomes a lie, a mirage so to speak. The worst kind of deception is self-deceit.

‎- When crossing a busy road, it's not how fast your feet can run, but how fast your brain can think.

‎- If you spend your whole life doing what other people tell you, you would have lived another person's life and completely miss out on your own life. If your decisions in life are solely based on what other people want or desire from you, rather than your own personal convictions, you'll be mistaken and regretful.

‎- All I ask for is respect, not acceptance. I ask for understanding, not agreement. I ask for maturity, not seniority. I ask for common reasoning, not intelligence. I ask for love, not pity. I ask for friends, not competitors. I ask for me, not the ‘you’ in me.

‎- The extreme of wickedness is abject foolishness. Horrendously wicked acts bear the handiwork of a foolish man.

‎- It's never too early to prepare for an exam, test or trial, but it can be too late to do so.

Everyone Changes!

We live in a universe that is ever-changing. Everything around us changes. Look at the leaves of the trees around us. Their colours change with the seasons. Look at the animals. They are changing. From the day they were born till the day they die, they undergo constant changes. What about the heavenly bodies: the stars. They undergo change in size, position, and some even get absorbed in giant ‘Black holes’. Our earth is always changing its position and is in constant motion. Man, an intelligent being, is not except from this wave of change. We change in form, from infancy to old age; in behaviour, from innocent curious kids to much more responsible adults; in knowledge, in beliefs, in love and romance, in friendships and in our complex interrelationships with fellow humans and other terrestrial and extraterrestrial entities in this universe. The question is: are we conscious of this change? How best are we preparing and taking advantage of our ever-changing yet exciting world?

Change in form. We change from small, helpless and restless kids to bigger and mature adults and then we grow old. Sometimes we are oblivious of these changes. When we are young, there are times we have this feeling that we’ll stay young forever. Getting old may seem ages away. Thus many youths make decisions and do things as though life will always remain the same. Are you a young, beautiful, sexy lady? You won’t remain like that forever. You won’t always be the hype of town or the most sought after single lady. The same applies to the men. Recognizing that change in form is inevitable in this changing world should move you to give more thought to your actions now. Some in school live their lives as though they will not graduate and change their location to a more brutal outside society. In our African society, a lot of premium is placed on marriage, family and kids. The road to achieving these goals starts when you are young. There is the best time for everything. Don’t get caught unawares by the changes we all undertake. Take good advantage of your present form and make a better deal for your future.

Change in behaviour. As kids, we were innocent. We were free to explore our surroundings and were not held accountable for our actions. ‘They are just kids’, others would say. As we grew older, we became more aware of our bodies, our surroundings and we were held more and more accountable for our actions. ‘Why are you behaving like kids?’ some would then say. These changes are challenged by the people around us, whether at home, in school, places of worship, social gatherings and at places of employment. We must recognize that just as the people around us evolve in their character formation, so do we. Very often, our experiences, background, and upbringing differs a lot from others. So, we never expect everyone to act in the same way but the fact is: everyone changes. No one stays static. The choice is either you change to become a more responsible, well-adjusted adult or you become irresponsible and mal-adjusted. There is no in-between. There is no sitting on the fence. If we are responsible and well-behaved and we don’t work hard to improve on ourselves and our values, we will lose it. For emphasis, anyone who is contented with who he/she is and does not make the conscious effort to be better and better at his/her positive attributes, will end up losing it. Our universe does not give room for stasis for long. It’s just like a new house. When it’s completed, it’s all beautiful. What if the owners say, ‘This house is so beautiful, let’s leave it as it is? No occupants. No maintenance.’ With time that once beautiful house will deteriorate. Even a beautiful damsel needs to improve on her looks: regular exercise, good nutrition, and good personal hygiene. All of these help her to be the pretty angel that she is. On the other hand, if she takes herself for granted and stay contented with the way she is, give her time, the beauty will fade rapidly. If our behaviour is as sweet as angelic beauty, let us not rest on our oars; work hard to make it shine more and more with pristine glory.

This is why we have reminders. Haven’t you wondered why we are often reminded of things we’ve known from childhood? Why do we receive reminders from the scriptures? Why are we often reminded on the TV, Radio and other broadcasting media of the dangers of smoking, STIs, etc and on the value of good hygiene, exercise, good nutrition and other healthy living lifestyles? It is because it’s been a well accepted fact that everyone has the capacity to change either for good or bad. It is not a matter of if, but when. So don’t scorn at reminders, rather use that time to soberly reflect on them and avail yourself the opportunity of been a better man or woman.

Change in beliefs. When I talk about beliefs, it’s not all about religious beliefs or doctrines however tempting that is. I’m talking about personal beliefs, superstitions, and cultural, traditional or social beliefs. I’m talking prevalent societal norms and values all of which are subject to change in our ever-changing world. A lot has changed: traditional beliefs in human sacrifices are changing in places like Benin, the killing of twins, and the caste system in the East are now things of the past. The maltreatment of sickle cell disease patients as ‘Ogbanjes’, and the horrific treatment handed down to people with heart failure or kidney failure as ‘witches’ as a result of the resultant body swelling they suffer, all of these is changing, albeit slowly. More and more people with mental illnesses are seeking help at psychiatric hospitals instead of going to traditional or religious homes where they are chained, flogged, branded and treated like animals. As a young lad, even though I had belief in God’s protection, I was in constant dread of ‘witches’. I thought that ‘witches’ were responsible for every misfortune. Road traffic accidents (RTAs) were often attributed to blood-thirsty ‘witches’. But a lot has changed over the years. I’ve come to realize that belief in the overwhelming power of ‘witches’ was bondage in itself. It’s very liberating when you don’t have to suspect everybody around you as being a ‘witch’. More and more persons are now taking personal responsibilities for their actions rather than blame it on ‘witches’. Bad roads, bad government and bad conduct of motorist are blamed for RTAs rather than superstitions.

Thanks to education, the media, science and the information age of the internet and other sources of public enlightenment, a lot is changing. In view of these changes, there is the need for us to re-evaluate our beliefs and value system. In times past, many placed high premium on having many wives and many children. It was viewed that the larger the family size, the more hands would be available to care for the family trade which was mainly farming. Some also opined that the larger the family, the higher the number that will survive. But a lot has changed. If in this modern era, a young man aspires to have many wives and many children, is he keeping up with the evolving world? Is he not retrogressive? Gone are the days when women take pride in giving birth at home or with local birth attendants. Now, more persons are aware that it is safer for women to deliver babies in the hospital. Is our psyche or mentality been shaped by archaic and superstitious beliefs? If u don’t catch-up and move along with recent trends, you will be left behind.

Change in knowledge. Knowledge is ever expanding and evolving. Lots of things have changed. Even now, some scientists are challenging long-held theories of older scientists like Albeit Einstein. Knowledge is growing fast and vast in all disciplines. Are you a professional? Are you keeping up-to-date with changes in your field? Are you a doctor that has been in the practice for years? Are you keeping up-to-date with the CPDs/CMEs, seminars and other educational avenues? Or do you cling to the old ways of doing things? Do you still prescribe drugs that are banned like novalgin/analgin? You can’t be content with what you know. You can not know enough. The brain deteriorates when it is not put to use. So learn something new, not just in your field but also in other areas. You can learn a new language. You can visit places that afford you the opportunities to learn more about nature. Listen to the news. Watch documentaries. Read the dailies and weeklies. Go online. Surf the net. Get into social networks. Interact with people all over the world. Get involved in something new. Challenge yourself to new heights. Get a new car. Get married. Have children. Do something good and exciting in your life. Remember, the world is not waiting for you. It’s like a long race. If u run ahead of others and you get to a point where you say, ‘I’m good’ and you stop, after a while every other person will run past you and you will end up in backward position. So don’t be content with what you are, get to know more and do more.

Change in love and friendship. This is the last but very crucial area I want to talk about. The friends you had in childhood are likely not the same friends you have now as an adult. We change friends when we move from primary to secondary schools. Same as when we get to tertiary institutions. Change of employment or our places of abode also affect our relationship with others. It is a natural course of events. These changes invariably affect our lives, our values, our attitudes and the romantic interest we share with others. People change. That is a fact you must recognize when you decide to get romantically involved with someone. It’s not because people are bad or they don’t care, but because there is a natural course of change; nobody stays the same. That is why true and enduring friendship that will ultimately lead to life-long commitments needs to stand the test of time. When you are in a relationship with someone, the relationship changes and evolve. It evolves either into a stronger and viable relationship or it deteriorates and collapses. No relationship stays stagnant. So, evolve with your relationship. Know the strengths of your partner and build on them, so he/she will change for the better. Know his/her weaknesses and show understanding. Allow time to pass. Never be in a hurry. See whether your compatibility is maintained as the relationship moves on. Don’t wait passively. Look for new and exciting ways to spice your relationship. Arrange for holidays, travel and visit places. Learn a new language. Learn a new game. Even if you are married, people still change in their matrimonial home. Having made life-long commitments, look for novel ways to uphold that commitment. Relationships don’t thrive on monotony, doing the same things in the same way every time. There’s always room for something new and different, yet worthy and fulfilling. Don’t let an outsider or a stranger do that for you. That could spell disaster for your relationship.

While minor changes we make everyday matters, of greater consequences are the major changes we make when we leave home for school, when we leave school for work, when we get married, when we travel out of the country for greener pastures, etc. The question is not whether we will change or whether the world around us will change, the real question is, how prepared are you to take advantage of such changes? How prepared are you to evolve in this ever-changing universe? Never be content with whom or what you are. Always strive to be a better ‘you’, because no matter how noble and lofty you are, you can get better. I’m not writing from the point of view of someone who has always made the right choices and changes; rather from the point of view of one who has made a lot of wrong choices and had witnessed first hand the ill-consequences of such changes. I’m no saint; neither are you. I don’t strive for sainthood; neither should you. All I ever strive for is to be a better person because God created all of mankind with the capacity to adapt favourably to the inevitable changes of life. There is a good in all of mankind. May we all consciously strive to improve in our little kindnesses, warm smiles, loving care, sense of humour, sense of belonging and companionship, and the little things that makes this earth a more lovable place to live in.

Word Play! (Using a word and its derivatives 10 times in a single sentence)

Happy!

I’m so happy to say how happy I am seeing that you happily do things that bring joy and happiness to the hearts of others; I’m honoured to share this happy story to all who is a happy listener and I pray that your happiness knows no bounds and may the Heavens declare you: ‘Happy! Happy! Happy!’

Surprise!
Seeing how people love surprises makes me realize that surprise packages can have a surprisingly great effect on the recipient but I'm not surprised when some are surprised that I'm not surprised at what they thought was a surprise; in fact, they get overwhelmed by my lack of surprise and that just makes them wonder, 'Why the surprise surprise in the first place?'