THE WALK OF LIFE

 

It was a grandeur occasion, friends, families and well wishers all seemed very happy as they all danced to the groovy sounds of highlife by the live band. Lots of drinks and variety of food deliciously prepared by the hired Chef, so much so, that no one had any reason to complain as it was more than enough to go round.

 

The occasion was well planned, the bride and groom looked very beautiful, their smile and dance steps told it all, it was a countenance that exuded happiness and joy. But of course the bride was the happier of the two, her dance, her joy and the presence of her friends  who had gathered round her, to help grace the occasion, made it the more fun for her.

 

As a friend of the family I was elated too, happy for them both not only because I was close to them, but also because I knew their story. They were both in their thirties, not many ages between them, which had brought about a little bit of rancour in the family as the groom's mum wanted someone much younger, added to the fact that the bride isn't from their tribe or locality. But alas, it was an obstacle they both crossed as their love conquered it all.

 

At the party I met another friend who shared my enthusiasm with the couple and I remember he muttered the word "life", shaking his head and turning to me saying, "everyone truly needs patient and hope". A statement I responded in the affirmative saying, "indeed". But those words kept playing in my head over and over again.

 

Life sometimes is not black or white, but it all depends on how you choose to view them. We are all born differently and with different pattern of destiny with different routes. How one gets to their destiny can be totally different from how another person gets to theirs. Sometimes we all try to compare and contrast our lives with those of peers or close acquaintances. We compare achievements and statuses and hate ourselves when we fall short. But at the risk of being misunderstood, comparison is good because it can make one sit up and strive for attainment of set out goals, but hating oneself and feeling like a complete failure for falling short at that particular time can be worrisome. This can push one to the brink of self destruction like indulging in wrong practises especially as the society only cares about the 'ends' of any endeavour rather than the 'means to an end'', or sometimes even go the extreme as to commit suicide.

 

Here is a simple analogy I deduced about life; failure is when you give up mid-way instead of striving to get to the finish line. As I have even discovered that people don't care how long it took you to get to greatness, they will celebrate you as long as you get there eventually. Evil or ill gotten success is but for a short time while, success gotten through strive and work last longer even for generations.

 

Certainly the walk through life is but two ways; The Paul Walker (RIP) way, like the fast and the furious, where things come swift and easier, or the Johnnie Walker way where " a million walk begins with a single step".

 

In conclusion, while some people get fortunate early in life with breakthroughs added to their efforts, most people, not so much. However, the staying power is work, hope, faith and belief. With these, life may not get easier, but living will definitely have a purpose. Never give up!