Be a Lighthouse

Dear lovely people,

I wouldn’t have said it any better than Leah LaBelle “Work hard for what you want because it won't come to you without a fight. You have to be strong and courageous and know that you can do anything you put your mind to. If somebody puts you down or criticizes you, just keep on believing in yourself and turn it into something positive.”

It’s my experience that everyone loves the idea of strength, of being strong, in all its many forms, of resisting the many things they have decided they will not do and most importantly, of being able to make up their mind about something and stick with it.

Becoming strong is far from being easy otherwise, everybody would be. It’s really that simple. Your daily tasks will not complete themselves, and no one but you can make you get out of bed early on a cold dark morning to make yourself do what you said you wanted to do so that you can move onto another level on your success ladder.

Too many people are struggling on a daily basis with an attitude of defeat in their walk to success, unable to gain the victory over failure in areas where they would easily if they had a changed mind.

The Bible in Joshua 1:7 - 9 says “But you must be strong and brave about obeying the commands my servant Moses gave you. If you follow his teachings exactly, you will be successful in everything you do. Always remember what is written in that book of law. Speak about that book and study it day and night. Then you can be sure to obey what is written there. If you do this, you will be wise and successful in everything you do. Remember, I commanded you to be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid, because the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

There is a great prize for those who can, and those who do take the risk—the feeling of being strong. Of living in the world strong. Of knowing if they want to achieve something, they can put their all to it. The ability to create force, which is strength, is in their capacity.

Mehmet Murat ildan sums it all up in a beautiful way “To be a lighthouse, you must be strong enough to resist every kind of storm, to every kind of loneliness and you must have a powerful light inside you!”

The Meandering River

Dear lovely people,

Why would a river go meandering instead of just flowing straight? Have you ever ask yourself that question? I always asked myself too. I know, I know the obvious answer anybody will give is that the river is escaping obstacles that is why it has to go winding looking for the easiest path.

On another scale, a geographer will go further explaining that a meander forms when moving water in a stream erodes the outer banks and widens its valley, and the inner part of the river has less energy and deposits silt. A stream of any volume may assume a meandering course, alternately eroding sediments from the outside of a bend and depositing them on the inside.

But I have known rivers that instead of meandering, rather braved the odds and had to erode their way through huge obstacles including mountains creating their own unique path in the process. Sure you have seen rivers flowing through what seems like bottomless towering gullies.

In today's world where global issues are so important, many people feel a sense of powerlessness and resignation; a feeling that no individual's efforts can change the way things are. The question then considering such a context is; what approach have you adopted? That of the meandering river or the one that breaks through obstacles?

Every day, life says to us, “You say you want this? Prove how much. Fight for it. Earn it.” Overcoming obstacles is a big part of earning it. Every day, we face small or large hurdles that can make us want to give up or give in. You have to fight to keep going.

For those who break through obstacles, it’s important to note that it’s not enough to merely address what we know, we need to address how we know something.  Because we know things on multiple levels (conscious and unconscious) a systemic approach takes us into those deeper layers of how we know.

In all you do and no matter how difficult the going gets, you must remember that at any one point, you could be just one small adjustment away from a major success.

Ferocious Determination

Dear lovely people,

Craig D. Launsbrough says “To find one's purpose is to discover one's worth, discern one's direction, wholly dedicate oneself to the journey, and forge an unbending determination that I will not leave the world the way I found it…”

When Ngwabifuh left his house that morning, he knew it will be a long while before he will be back. He was headed for a new location, a new beginning and a new future. On his way, he stopped over at what was once the Ngwabifuh Supermarket. Looking at the mounts of cinder, he let the painful memories of that faithful day replay in his mind. It all happened when he received an anonymous phone call that his supermarket was on fire and before he got there, nothing was left to be salvaged. All what was left on burned, was looted.

It was clear the economy had not treated him fairly, the gargantuan tax system dealt him several blows many times over. He recalled all those times thieves made away with huge sums of money from his shop and the many other times he had to close his shop for weeks because of frequent civil unrests. All these did not deter his resoluteness to keep on keeping on.

There he stood, looking at the ashes of his many years of toil. Despite the many huddles, he had worked so hard to transform his business from a small roadside vendor to the proud owner of Ngwabifuh Supermarket that attracted hundreds of customers daily.

Surprisingly to bystanders, Ngwabifuh smiled to himself and drove off. Unknown to those who were gaping at him completely bewildered, Ngwabifuh told himself at that instant - all is not lost. He affirmed that it might have taken him many years of hard work to get where he was but at that very instance, he resolved to start all over again and to do it in a better way.

Many are the times when the dreams we have crafted for ourselves get tested through unthinkable ways. Such trails might originate from your own very conscious or unconscious making or from external factors in the society beyond your control. Irrespective of the source, you’ve got one choice only to be ferociously determined to break through even if it means starting all over again.