I am not an inspirational/moltivational speaker. I have never for once considered or dreamt of myself as one who would assemble a crowd of perhaps frustrated people for a pep talk on how to get pick up their lives or even get it rolling again. Yet as a rational human being, i see myself as my first source of inspiration because, if i do not open up my hearts to inspiring things or free myself of my worrisome thoughts not even the world’s best moltivational speakers will get me off my shell.
The events of the past few weeks for me have been hard to take not only as a trained architect but also as a human being with blood flowing through my veins. To sit down here and imagine how i’ve been able to overcome this worrisome and trying period of my life will only help me to beam a searchlight into why many people are so frustrated, upset and continue to live in constant agony. Without wanting to recount my personal experinces of sadness, i’d acknowledge the fact that it is near-impossible to live a life compeletly devoid of worries, pains, disappointments and sorrows. ‘If the rich, they say also cry, wetin ijebu garri drinkers go do?’. The increasing economic situation in the country and the alarming rate of corruption has not in any way helped the helplessness plight of the poor masses. On more than three occasions this week, i had put on my television set to see news of either aged people who have served this nation peacefully protesting for the release of their pensions or irate trader voilently protesting the closure of the ‘Ladipo market’ or pointing accusing fingers to the government over the burning of the ‘ketu timber market’.
You look at all these and you would want to wonder with which rationale Nigerians were termed: ‘the world’s happiest people’. Frustrations? Anger? Theft? Insecurity? Voilence? Kidnapping?. Many Nigerians indeed live in constant turmoil, sorrow and always frustrated and have varrieties of challenges that keeps them from being happy. Unemployment, under_employment, starvation, injustice, rape, bleak futures and so on. The more we try to focus on a better tomorrow, the more frustrated we become. Sometimes, our lives are so inconsistent that in a moment we live in ‘cloud nine’ while in another moment, depression takes over. Things easily tend to go from sweet to soar than the other way round.
In the midst of my own worries, i’ve come to learn that : i must take one day at a time, life is too short not to enjoy each passing day. By an act of your will, learn to enjoy your friends, work, your family inspite of your circumstances. ‘ Happiness is a decision! Not an emotion you feel!. Perhaps that is the rationale used in terming Nigerians as the world’s people. Stay Happy! and have a nice weekend!
Onyekaba N. Charles is an Architect and a creative writer. He is the author of “Swinging Emotions: the poetry of my youth” (Contact him at onyekabaeme@yahoo.com or www.charleyrosu.wordpress.com )
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