This world is not simple...

There are no simple things in this life. Things are simple because we assume them to be. If we take out time to look deeply, just beneath the facade, we would discover that things are just as complicated as the other complicated models we’ve rejected. Nothing is simple; even black and white, the most natural colours are not so natural if we look deeply. If we look closely, we would discover that the natural colour we call black is made up of a host of other colours, blended together in complex unity. We know this but we are afraid of the complexness of the complexities. We just want to get things over with even when we know there’s more.

My First Day At Work...

My first day at work was a mixture of experiences for me. At some point I was happy, at other times during the day I was not so happy and for a major part of the day I was lost in deep thoughts. I know you would expect me to be totally happy and in a celebratory mood throughout the day but that’s me for you; even I, don’t totally understand myself.

 

My first 'corporate' interview

I attended my first post graduate interview yesterday and it was ...phew! I purposely incorporated the word 'corporate' in the title because it was not actually my first interview. I've had other interviews for teaching, sales boy, 'Danfo' driving etc but this was the first major sensible one with prospects of a good pay. As usual, I would not pass on a good opportunity to learn something new cos for me, each encounter and event is an opportunity to learn and become better. Now I don't want to be selfish in this case cos I know most of us are job hunting. So i'll reveal my experience and the lessons learnt.

The interview was for a bank job (Name withheld for security reasons) and it was conducted at their headquarters in Victoria Island, lagos. Now if you are going for an interview in a corporate

The 'What Next?' Question.....

Thank God my NYSC year is over. A lot of persons were not aware that I was serving and of the lot that knew, only a few are aware that I am through. For me, NYSC was no big deal and there was no need publicising. Unlike some persons, I hardly uploaded NYSC photos (I think I uploaded only three camp pictures) on facebook and did not even bother filling my album with hardcopies - just to tell you how low it ranked in my scale of importance. This reminds me of a  guy in camp that took pictures over every little action - includin reflex actions. He took pictures while he was sleeping, marching, eating, bathing, sneezing etc until he couldn't pay anymore and began to hide. His face was on every photographers stand. Nobody pitied him, not even the photographers.

Back to the issue at hand. It is quite surprising (to me) to see that the question on every one's lips is what next after NYSC. I read people's status and tweets and

INTERACTIVE SESSION...

 source

I attended service in another church today because that pastor (prophet) from Ile-ife was invited again for another program. Well, if you read this post, you would understand why I fear him and any other prophet from Ile-ife. So I entered this church (another parish of the same church) and met an interactive session. The session was about marriage and health issues and the resource persons were highly experienced people (they were actually a couple) as far as marriage and health issues are concerned. They have been married for forty-something years now (hmmm...) and the woman is a retired doctor. Now, like most of the interactive sessions conducted these days, there was nothing new to learn and

I'M UNDER INTENSE PRESSURE...

I made no resolutions this year. Basically cos I've not been able to keep any resolution I've made since I was born. The reasons for this, I dont know. Maybe laziness on my part or insincerity or... I just cant fathom. I, thus, sincerely, resolved not to be making anymore resolutions! But I did make a prayer...

I prayed that God grant me the grace to contribute positively to people's lives this year. First, my immediate family members and then, others around me. This prayer was wrought out of my passion for suffering people, whether less privileged or not. I hate to see people suffer and so each day I pray for the grace to make people smile by contributing to their needs in whatever capacity. After prayin this prayer for so long, I decided, on the 31st of dec last year to make it my 'praysolution' for the year 2013 (since i had developed a talent for failing to keep resolutions).

The problem now is that there so many people within and outside my circle with so many needs includin me! Of course I can sacrifice the things I need to put smiles on people's faces but the more I've done that, the more the faces are multiplying. It is even now becoming increasingly difficult to maintain the smile on my own face.

What am I saying? Summary - I want to help people and make them happy. Apart from it being my praysolution for the year 2013, it also is who I feel I am. But I also have needs and the more I am looking into people's problems, the more it is becoming difficult to solve mine. And I know for sure that I cannot put smiles on other people's faces when I am frowning. I am at a dilenma here...

WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT THE 1ST OF JANUARY...?

Most of us believe that the 1st of january is special (being the first day of the year) and should thus open the doors for the beginning of new/fresh things. We expect that God (if we are christians) would begin something new on that day and some of us even go as far as programming ourselves to start a new thing - what we call a 'resolution'. But I've always wondered; is this not a misconception?

I understand the rationale behind the Xmas celebration (not totally sha) but whats so special about the first of january? Why should God have to wait till the first of January before he begins something new (at least, that's what most of us believe)? Why is it that in our churches, it is only on that day that we recieve bucket load of prophecies? Why should our budget and goals begin on the 1st of january? Why should our own resolutions begin on that day? More interesting is the fact that most parents become conscious of their ward's welfare (clothes and good food) during that period.

It is imperative that we begin to review this ideology or else we would continue to miss all the 'new' ideas, opportunities and resources that happen to come our way every other day apart from the Ist of january. For instance, most of us (christians) fail to ask God for a new beginnin or direction unless it is the first day of the year even when He is ready to begin one immediately. He speaks all the time but we fail to listen cos we hope to hear and receive them (prophecies) on that day. Even when we fail in our resolutions, we wait for another new year to start afresh.

A friend (not really friend sha) of mine wanted to stop smoking 2 years ago and made a resolution to that effect. After staying clean from january till march, he went to a party in april and ...smoked! He was really really disappointed at himself but I told him not to be and encouraged him to continue his resolution after the let down. He refused, claiming that the year had been dented and he would have to wait for another year. He smoked till the end of that year. The same thing happened when he made the new resolution. Today, he is still smoking.

We have also allowed this mentality creep into other aspects of our lives. For example, in our businesses, we wait till the beginning of a new year to set new goals, plans and objectives. What is wrong with february, march, or november? That is how we miss business opportunities to right thinking competitors cos we were waiting for the almighty january! Sometimes, even when we fail to implement these plans to a reasonable degree, we quickly push them aside and set new ones once we hear 'happy new year'!

Please dont get me wrong here; the beginning of the new year is important and I'm not disputing that. It is not bad to start something new or give presents and celebrate. Even the prophecies we receive on that day should not be taken lightly. But we should not make it a tradition so much as to loose focus on what needs to be done at a particular point in time. Why should you wait for a new year to make your resolution? Who made that rule?

My point is this: the newness of the year should not stop you from doing something new at every other time of the year. If you want a new direction from God, start praying now! If your child needs a new dress and you can afford it, why not give it to him now! If you want to stop a 'good' habit and start a 'bad' one, just make that resolution now! And of course, in your business, if you are eyeing growth, I'll advice you to set the targets now! Like I said before, the 1st of january is special (and i'm gonna celebrate it), but it should not stop us from doing what we have to do every other day...

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL. MAY 2013 BRING OUT THE BEST IN ALL OF US.

QUESTIONS... ?¿?

There are questions and there are indeed questions. questions dat we would so much love to get answers to. But unfortunately, the answers to most of these questions seem painfully elusive, most of them turning out to be questions themselves requiring answers. The ordinary man is thus left in a situation where he is afraid to ask certain questions and when he dares to, no competent minds are usually available to answer them. Even when he is lucky enough to find competent minds, he could be replied with answers that throws him into deeper states of confusion, leaving him worse off at the end.


I should state here that not everyman contemplates these questions but i fall into the category of curious minds that always wants to know the thing behind the thing. A lot of questions have plagued my mind since childhood and I, after searching for answers and getting none, have often left them unanswered, hoping for such a time when i shall attain a certain age (which I have been told comes with wisdom), and the answers shall present themselves.

Interestingly, at my current age, I believe i have gathered enough experience to guarantee me answers to these questions but it seemed i have been lied to. To compound issues, the experiences gathered have thrown up a gamult of more questions that i sometimes begin to wonder what a question is. My curiousity has grown (along with my age) to unbearable proportions such that I want to know everything. I hope that this curiousity would not kill me as it did the cat!

But seriously, I am not satisfied with having questions with options that do not contain the answers. Thus, I have currently resolved to find answers at all cost even if it means reading the 'Seven Books of Moses'! (fear not, i shall survive it).

A lot of my friends have suggested that I wait till I die cos the answers to my questions are not in this present life but then their advise leaves me with another question: what would be the use of the answers I get if i no longer existed? Take the case of Lazarus and the rich man for example; what good is the knowledge of the fact that hell is real to the rich man when he was already in it?

Like I said before, not everyone contemplates these questions which is in fact good. Cos if you do not have questions to ask, it implies that you have answers to all questions (a lot of people would argue with this point) and i expect that you should be able to handle mine...

In a few weeks, i shall share with you an article on a question i attempted to answer and how far i've gone. If you are lucky, i shall tag you but you must be ready to help...

HAPPY XMAS...