ON DEFECTION AND OTHER WISDOMS
As usual on this page, when the going gets tough, and the stupid gets ‘stupider’, we resort to stresslowering elixirs to ensure we are not lost in the mad milieu. Today, we re-present some interesting stuff making rounds in cyberspace. You could have read it and even shared it, but it is still relevant that it be re-shared.
In an ancient Temple in India, a number of pigeons lived happily on the rooftop. When renovation of the Temple began for the annual feast, the Temple pigeons relocated to a Church nearby. The resident pigeons in the Church accommodated the new comers very well.
When Christmas was approaching and the Church was being given a facelift, all the pigeons had to move out to look for another place. They were fortunate to find a place in a Mosque nearby, where they were happily welcomed by the pigeons resident in the Mosque.
When it was Ramadan time and the Mosque was being repainted, all the pigeons returned to the ancient Temple.
One day, the pigeons witnessed communal clashes in the market square below. A baby pigeon asked its mother: “Who are those fighting below?” The mother replied: “They are ‘human beings’.” The baby pigeon then asked, “But why are they fighting each other?” The mother said: “The human beings who go to the Temple are called ‘Hindus’, the ones who go to Church are called ‘Christians’, while the ones who go to the Mosque are called ‘Muslims’.”
The baby pigeon again asked, “Why is it so? When we were in the Temple, we were called Pigeons; when we were in the Church, we were called Pigeons; and when we were in the Mosque, we were still called Pigeons. So shouldn’t they similarly just be called ‘human beings’ wherever they go?”
The mother pigeon replied: “You, me and our Pigeon friends have experienced God and that’s why we are living here in this highly elevated place peacefully. These people are yet to experience God. Hence they are fighting and killing each other when they are all human beings created by the same God whom they all claim to serve. Perhaps there will be peace if they refer to themselves simply as human beings.” Yesterday, I had to visit somewhere and it was raining, so I did not want to drive there since I was not too familiar with the road, so I parked my car somewhere close and used a keke (local tricycle) go further.
While I was there, I got a call from a longtime friend reminding me of my promise to help her husband over a job. So I quickly told her my location and asked her to tell her husband to meet me up as soon as he could, since I was not too far from their area. I told her to tell her husband to meet me up where I packed my car since that place was a popular landmark.
I didn’t know her husband, and we have never met before. As I sent her the address, she called me back and was so excited that I was even around the area which would make it easy for him because he did not even have transport to come out; things were that bad. So I told her that he should pick a drop and I would pay.
In order not to keep him stranded, I had to start rushing back to where I packed my car. God, I even entered under the rain, and it was cold, just to meet up with him so he would not be stranded. As I was walking under the rain, I saw a keke and stopped it and described where I wanted to go. The keke man asked me to beg the man inside if he would allow me to enter. So I started begging. The man refused and said I was wet. I told him I would sit one side, but he still refused, saying except I pay for both his fare and mine.
I agreed, then he allowed me to enter. As I entered, this man kept me very uncomfortable, saying if my wet clothes touched him again I would have to get down. I just kept my cool until I finally got near to my destination. I did not even reach the car but was ill at ease that I dropped off some distance away, paid for both of us as promised, then used my legs to walk to my car since it was not too far.
I entered my car and started the engine to warm myself and the car. It was then that I got a call from my friend saying her husband was around the area. So I described my car and he came. I heard someone knocking on my window, so I wound down. Lo behold! It was the same man in the keke who had ‘suffered me so much’. Gosh!
I was supposed to pay the keke man that brought him, as promised to his wife earlier, although I had already paid the fare for both of us just to get a ride with. And this is the man looking up to me to recommend him for a job!
Tears rolled down my eyes. I brought out N3,000, gave him, started my car and zoomed off. My friend has been calling and sending me messages, asking how things went during the meeting with her husband, and when she would hear from us. Finally exasperated, I had to block her as I could not muster the courage to tell her what happened.
Be careful! Most times men of gold don’t wear gold. Always be nice!
‘PDP yet to have candidate that can defeat Buhari’
You live life intrinsically connected to others, the sooner you realize this the sooner you’ll make your entire life (and the lives of others) easier and more enjoyable. What you do affects others and what others do affects you.
Being considerate of others feelings, beliefs, and overall well-being isn’t just being nice, it’s an all-around more evolved state of mind. We won’t survive if we’re constantly at each other’s throats. Our strength as a species is in our ability to come together, to communicate, and to work together towards a common goal.