The Commonality of Humanity; the Things that make us ONE! (2) – Our Birth!

Sometimes, we place so much emphasis on what sets us apart; the focus is always on what makes a group of people different from others. As a result we forget that we have so much in common: the commonalities of humanity. Starting yesterday (written some time ago, i'm republishing it), I began this new series to highlight the things that make us one. This is part 2.

Every human being on earth today was conceived and given birth to naturally or was delivered through a surgical procedure. There is no human alive who just materialized from nowhere. No one came to life by binary fission of the parents or by chemical concoction in a science lab. We were all born. We all are the product of the union of an egg and a sperm; whether this union took place naturally or in a tube. We all developed to full form in a human abdomen and at the length of time we were born or extracted into this world as living humans.

In discussing the use of an ultrasound in determining the age of a pregnancy (gestational age), Dr Anthony O. Marinho, a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist wrote in the book, ‘Contemporary Obstetrics and Gynaecology for Developing Countries’ edited by Prof. Okonofua and Dr. Odunsi (Page 31): “Ultrasound is most accurate early in pregnancy when most fetuses are the same size of age regardless of sex, race, genetic, nutritional and other environmental factors. Later in the pregnancy, these factors cause babies conceived in the same day by different couples to have different biometric measurements.” What this implies is that at conception and in the early stages of life, we were all the same size irrespective of who we are or where we came from.

Why is that important to my discourse? It does not matter whether my parents were rich or poor, black or white, tall or short, educated or illiterate, able or disabled; I was not different from others at conception and at the early stage of my life. Yes, later on, life happened and I changed more and more to reflect my heritage, my upbringing and the environment I lived in. Nevertheless, at the point where life began, at the beginning of the beginning, we looked just the same. The next time someone looks down on you because you are not as endowed as he/she is, don’t despair. Just remember: we all came from the same place and traveled the same route and then life (which was beyond our control) happened.

This is testimony to the fact that we were created by one Mind, one God. We are not a product of some random evolutionary mischief. 7 billion people on earth today came to life through the same process. That is not chance. That is a product of a deliberate action; the realization of one set of ideals, one set of goals, one set of visions and one purpose. Indeed, One Creator!

The Commonality of Humanity; the Things that make us ONE! (1) – Sleep!

Today has been awesome. We pray that tomorrow will be better. Life with all its intrigues, complexities, struggles and all sorts. No matter what you've done throughout today: school, work, play, dance, you name it, at the end of the day we all share the same fate. We get exhausted, worn out and as night falls we drag ourselves to sleep. The commonalities of humanity! One of the things that makes us the same, black or white, rich or poor, learned or not, after all the struggles, we get fagged out and when the sun sets and night comes, we all look for a place to lay down our head to sleep. The very few who can't lie down and sleep will come down with all sorts of illnesses. There is no group or class or caste of humans who do not fall down to sleep. Even the animals fall asleep. It's universal. It's one proof that we all were created by one Mind, one God. Sleep is a gift from God. It's not a waste of time as some would have you believe. It's like eating food, drinking water, and breathing in air. It's part of our wonderful make-up. Have you seen a newborn baby, after the initial cries and squirming, he lies down peacefully to sleep. How adorable they look in their sleep! Precious in deed! I thank God for this amazing gift. May we wake up tomorrow refreshed for a brand new day!

A word a day … (05-01-13)

A word a day … (05-01-13)

When you do something excellently well the first time, it can be called a fluke.

When you do it well the second time, others can still call it a fluke.

When you do it well the third time, there might be doubts still.

But if you keep doing it well repeatedly and continuously, be rest assured that 

it’s no fluke. It’s a talent. You need to accept it and own it.

A word a day… (04-01-13)

Power not only reside with those who can command security forces; enormous power resides in a group of people who have the will, the unity of purpose and the mental capacity to forge together and pursue a common goal

A Joke a day keeps the doctor away! (04-01-13)

Sometimes, I forget things quickly, no matter how important. I forget, just like that. One day, I went to turn my changeover switch after putting off my generator. After a short while, I forgot whether or not I've turned the switch. So I went out to check only to find out that have done that already. As usual I started this conversation with my changeover switch:

Switch: O boy, you don dey old oh! (Man, you are getting old!)

Me: What?

Switch: Nor be na na you change me. (You came here a while ago to make the change.)

Me: So?

Switch:  kwekeee! (No equivalent in Queen’s English. It’s an exclamatory expression.)

Me: Shut up! Take your time oh! (Be careful!) Otherwise, I’ll scatter scatter you. (I’ll destroy you.)

Switch: Me, I’m not worried oh, I know you will soon forget what I said.

A word a day… (03-01-13)

You can get great things done if you get angry enough. In the same vein, you can get great things destroyed if you get angry enough. For example, if you are angry enough for being single, you can get married (a great thing). Likewise, if you are angry enough, you can get your marriage destroyed (a great deal).

A Joke a day keeps the doctor away! (03-01-13)

A conversation with my mirror: One morning, while preparing to go to work, I stood in front of my wall mirror for a long time. I was just staring and staring and staring at the mirror. To my surprise, my mirror spoke to me:

“You nor go go work? (Won’t you go to work?)

 You go late oh. (You are running late.)

 If you like eh, stand here till next year, you nor go resemble Ramsey Nouah. (Even  if you stay here for a year, you won’t look like Ramsey Nouah)”

Me: “Shut up! If you nor take your time, you go receive smashing blow (you will get hit in no time). Your mate dey showroom. (your fellas are in showrooms)”

Mirror: “I for don marry oh, Facebook na you cause am oh. (singing, 'I would have been married if not for Facebook')”

Me: “Sharap your yaa dirty mouth (shut up, silly!)

          Yanyanyan yanyanyan (O boy, I don’t know how to interpret this in Queen’s

           English)”