Two Lessons

“Oshodi!! Oshodi, Oshodi Oshodi!!” the conductor shouted in other to get passengers attention and from where I was standing, I could see bunch of people as they fought themselves just to get into the bus. What drew my attention was when I saw a man in his expensive suit trying to force his way through the crowd to get into the bus. His infinity jeep had just broken down just across the express road and I guess he had hopped into the Lagos bus to go in search of a mechanic. Isn’t it funny how life can take you out of your comfort zone at times, and place you in a position where you can’t help but need the service of someone far lower than you be it in position, status, finance, education etc. I’m not talking about the mechanic or shoemaker whose services both the rich and poor can’t do without.  I’m talking about a man who couldn’t help but come down from his N11 million Naira infinity jeep and struggled to get into a worn-out bus that’s probably as old as 20 years. Never despise anyone.

As I stood by the road side waiting for the next bus headed towards Oshodi, I began to reflect on what I had just witnessed, and suddenly, I realized that everyone, no matter their position or status, has something significant to offer. Yes! A conductor ushered in a millionaire into his worn out bus; that’s giving value for money in return. The millionaire was helpless. The conductor on the other hand could have decided to work the man out of his office. Lol!! I guess you know what I’m talking about. Just like the man may have said to someone in the past: “please leave my office” the conductor was in the position to say to the man: “oga abeg come down from my bus, I no won carry you”. That’s life-that’s life! Everyone is valuable. Train yourself to see the value in everyone you meet.

 The next bus came, and realizing that keeping up with my “Ajebota way” wouldn’t get me into the bus, and that i had to be rugged, I had to rush just like every other person and forced my way through the crowd into the bus. Welcome to Lagos: the RUSH city. Being a JJC in Lagos, I knew I was going to stop before OShodi, but I didn’t know the exact bus stop in particular; I only knew the name.  5 min into the journey, the conductor asked that I pay for the service being rendered to me which of course I did. Usually, when I’m in a vehicle, I try to make good use of my time by reading a book and sometimes, I get so engrossed in the book that I become unaware of the things happening around my environment. The journey was taking longer than necessary and I raised my head to tell the conductor “conductor abeg I go stop for so-so and so Junction oh!” and the conductor exclaimed in Yoruba (A language in Nigeria) “ah!!! Were!! ““Oga we don pass the junction since nawhh” and I’m like “na waoh abeg drop me”

I dropped from the bus, and once again I reflected on what had just happened. And I realized that that’s how so many people embark on life’s journey and journey pass where they are suppose to stop.  An athlete, on getting to the finish line, doesn’t continue to run another race immediately. He knows the difference between quitting and stopping. Therefore, he stops after the finish line. Quitters stop before the finish line while achiever stops after the finish line. Getting to the finish line comes with a reward no matter how little. In life, you must know when to STOP. I’m not saying you stop growing or stop becoming better at what you do or stop loving the people around you. No!  That’s not the kind of STOP I mean; I mean knowing when to stop the things that affects your life negatively. For example, knowing when to stop taking drugs, knowing when to stop being in that abusive relationship, know when to stop allowing people intimidate you, knowing when to stop stealing, knowing when to stop snatching people’s boyfriend or girlfriend, knowing when to stop doing sugar daddy or sugar mummy, knowing when to stop worrying about the things that don’t really matter, knowing when to stop NOT LOVING YOU. That’s the kind of stop I talk about. 

Gracias