Reflections (5) – Short Notes!

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!