My
Dear Jewels of Inestimable Value,
The thought of you
makes me look to the future with confidence. Yes, when I look at you my heart
leaps with joy because your worth is beyond imagination. Can anyone truly guess
all that will come out from you in this life for the good of humanity? Am I
wrong to say that may be you are that leader who will arise to bring joy to
your country, your people and those whom you will have responsibility over?
There is nothing about you today to suggest that you cannot rise from where you
are right now, no matter how you or anyone else may choose to describe your
present situation, to that place of fulfillment. And I am saying this with
every sense of responsibility.
The mistake of many
nations, cities, communities, and homes is the failure to provide an enabling
environment and the needed discipline for their young minds to dream good
dreams and engage in positive inquest so as to get what it takes to release
their potentials for the good of humanity.
Isn't it somewhat
amazing that you may at this time in your life feel outrageously flattered by
what you are hearing? Or it is possible that you may be feeling unnecessarily
patronized. Whatever the case, it is my hope that you will give me a little of
your time to hear what I have to say. When I say that you are wiser, greater,
smarter, and more intelligent than you agree with and worth much more than you
look, your present condition notwithstanding, please believe me.
Your looks today and at
whatever time do not and cannot reveal the fullness of the glory in you. Never
forget that!
My Dear, it is possible
that, saying that you are going through very trying and difficult times will be
saying the least. You may be going through what Sharon had to go through at a
young age. She had gained admission to study Medicine and Surgery but nearly
missed the opportunity because of lack of funds. From her first month in school
everything seemed to work against her. She could not fit into several social
circles because of her very poor background. Coming from a very poor home, she
knew and kept her limits and though she desired to be able to get her hands on
several things that several other students her age took for granted, she just couldn't.
As if her financial
challenges were not enough for a young person of her age she carried the burden
of having a near-invalid mother at home, a tirelessly working father who could
barely put food on the table and two other siblings who had to drop out of
school to enable her keep her dream of becoming a Medical Doctor alive. Her
father had sold their choice piece of land to enable her start off at school.
The siblings now engage in every available menial job to help their father
provide the minimum medical care which their mother needed and to send the
remaining to keep Sharon at school. They were just satisfied to carry on with
near empty pockets and empty food store at home. This was the burden which
young Sharon had to carry as she studied hard to make it through college. But,
her dream nearly came to an abrupt end.
It was just another
day, with the birds welcoming everyone into a day that began with brightness,
thereby hiding the soon to happen and evil news that will leave many
devastated, including Sharon. Since entering college Sharon has won the envy of
her fellow students and the respect of her teachers through hard work. The
college library staffs have all fallen in love with her because of her way of
life and good use of the library. So, this day, she was in the library looking
up some books and some medical journals so as to gather information for her
turn to do presentation in physiology class. Having spent just about thirty
minutes she wondered why she was feeling uneasy and wanted, more than anything,
to go back to her room. It was at this point that one of the library staff came
close to her and requested to have some time with her. On getting to her desk
she met an unusual gathering of some of her class mates and few friends and
immediately she knew something was wrong. It was the library staff - with whom
she had built a kind of mother-daughter relationship - that broke the news to
her.
The mention of death sent Sharon gasping for air and needed to be given
first Aid. Sharon’s father had been hit by a drunk driver the night before and
died in the early hours of the day. It wouldn't be enough to say that Sharon
was devastated rather it will be better to say that she ‘slumped into
devastation’, so deep that the hope of recovery was dim. In less than two hours
Sharon had lost consciousness twice and needed to be resuscitated.
Sharon had dreamed of
becoming a Medical Doctor not just for money but to give the best care to her
mother and help her siblings get back to school. She wanted more than anything
to end the misery that was so clearly written over the father’s face. A misery
she had known all through her young life. Now, the candle which was providing
her the little flickering light as she was navigating the torturous path of
life into which she was born was gone. Her world crumbled!
...to be continued
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