You can't protect yourself totally...

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Something happened some days back that is causing me to reflect big time; basically on how we feel that we have control over certain situations that are certainly beyond our comprehension, not to talk of control.

It is true that we are responsible for the twists and turns our lives take. This is basically cos we are responsible for planning our lives and ensuring that things go as planned.Most times however, there are many unenvisaged uncontrollable factors that may or may not work to bring our plans to fruition. We, therefore can only do our best and leave the rest to God, fate or luck as the case may be.

I entered a cab that day on my way back from a date (with the pepper and meat seller) and discovered that
the driver had some form of skin infection displaying conspicuously on his hands and fingers. I wondered if it was communicable and decided that I was going to pay him with denominations that would not require the receipt of change. This would help me avoid contact (both with him and his money). I succeeded in paying him without contact and smiled to myself, thinking I was smart and safe.

 As the journey continued, I also, continued to ruminate on the situation. As I did, I discovered that I was just being foolish. I realised that even though I had not exchanged anything with him that wouuld require contact, someone else would (someone actually did, in the same cab) and that person may have contact with me one way or the other (the person actually did!). Taking the thought further, I realised that assuming nobody had contact with him in the cab, he would still have to exchange it with someone else for goods or services whom I might end up doing business with. Or he may (assuming he decides not to spend), pay the money into the bank and it ends up in the ATM where I might innocently go to happily withdraw cash.

My thoughts did not stop there. I began to imagine that apart from that driver, there are people with worse but less obvious skin infections who might have exchanged cash with somebody I might eventually come in contact with, either for business or for pleasure. Worse still, the person might be engaged in selling consumables such as rice, beans, garri, etc. He might even be a customer who may (as is common in markets) deep his rash or boil covered hands into the foodstuff to check their quality. Well, you can parboil rice and beans but what of garri?

Sorry for taking your mind through that irritating journey. I'm just trying to say that no matter how hard you try, you cannot totally protect yourself. If you like, spray yourself with dettol, 24 hours a day. Except maybe you start adding it to your food. Afterall, if you don't take care of yourself, who will?