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Growing Good Corn
By Felix | April 28, 2008
There was a Nebraska farmer who grew award-winning corn. Each year he entered his corn in the state fair where it won a blue ribbon…
One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew it. The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors.
“How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?” the reporter asked.
“Why sir,” said the farmer, “didn’t you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn.”
He is very much aware of the connectedness of life. His corn cannot improve unless his neighbor’s corn also improves.
So it is in other dimensions. Those who choose to be at peace must help their neighbors to be at peace. Those who choose to live well must help others to live well, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches. And those who choose to be happy must help others to find happiness for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all.
Once again I spent my Sunday at the Jungle City where the big animals live or should I say to spend time with the people of the Uncommon Man Network (Gold In The Slum), and trust me it was a refreshing time the youths and myself.
I was awed and impressed by the new changes that had taken place for the few Sundays that I hadn’t made it there, with newly tiled floors and a projector white board ( we used to project on the wall) and well arranged white chairs and the ever enthusiastic leaders among youths smiling and welcoming their peers to the meeting, I knew I was in for a good time.
After a few presentations from some of the youth, they had a comedy drama sketch that had me reeling with laughter throughout the 10mins they were on stage. Talents truly abound in the ghetto, the likes of Daddy Shokey, Danfo Drivers, Marvelous Benji, to mention just a few in the music industry, they made it to lime light in Nigeria Music Industry and they are all from the ghetto. With what I saw yesterday, I know if given the chance or should I say when the opportunity is presented, these guys NACA (National Association of Crazy Artist) as they are popularly known as in Ajegunle will really do well on stage or on screen.
If anyone has a ceremony or event that needs a short drama sketch, please let me know and I’ll bring them to give your audience all the laffs, and for now it’s not the money for them, it’s more about showcasing their talent and getting known, so you can just give them a token to appreciate their effort.
After the drama sketch I had to take the stage and we went into an interactive session on Complete Idiots Guide to Making Money. A very interesting session that lasted about an hour and with the responses after the meeting I am sure it made a whole lot of difference for them, but the real kudos should go to Praise Fowowe who has really added value to the lives of these youths in the ghetto and also for giving them direction and hope. They have been taken through different trainings and talks from several notable speakers and trainers that they would not have been able to afford on their own and its really paying off. The rate at which they are growing in numbers, I doubt if the hall they currently use will be able to accommodate them a couple of weeks from now, but it was really refreshing spending time with them.
If you feel up to it and know that it takes giving your neighbours good corn seed to make your harvest a great one too, book a Sunday that you’ll be free to mentor and enjoy time with them, don’t get me wrong, these are not charity cases, but youths who need direction and in some cases assistance, sponsorships and scholarship to face the world outside the ghetto.
The lesson for each of us is this: if we are to grow good corn, we must help our neighbours grow good corn.
Topics: change |
April 28th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain.
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain
April 29th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” If you light a lamp for somebody, it will also brighten your path.
Ve u asked urself Is anybody happier because you passed his way?
April 29th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
The little things of life are the very things that counts.unfortunately,we often get carried away with the “BIG THINGS OF LIFE”and yet they count less..The busier we get the less we seem to show kindness.
there are people in our life’s today who are bleeding emotionally,crumbling under the load they silently carry, who never hear the words,’i think you’re wonderful.’why?(a) because we never learned how to say such words.
(B) we don’t thnk they need to hear them because they seem so strong.(c)We never care to share a simple smile or laughter because we feel it costs alot of our time.(d)we fail to reach out to others in need because we feel we don’t have much to give..But unknowingly to us,the very little we feel we can’t afford to give are the very things that would make a difference and would go a long way..
ITS NEVER 2 LATE TO BE DAT 1 WHO MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
1
April 30th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Nice article!!swit! kip spitting fire!!n always believe n do…
U r 4eva treasured…..
May 2nd, 2008 at 10:23 am
All of your comments here are awesome and great to see the compassion and care for others, So many lose site on the true meaning of life due to selfishness, vain, and self gain, I have always been a giver and will never change that quality no matter if my giving was taken for granted or for selfish reasons, just who i am i guess we all are different in what we want n need in life and it is a learning lesson to us all, some learn it early on in life some not till their death bed but none the less we learn from eachother. Great story here Felix not only on man kinds but i have also learned a lil bit on what makes a good crop.. lol.. never knew that ty mister teacher wink keep up the great work.. xxx have a great day sweets xxx
May 6th, 2008 at 10:48 am
what goes around come around, give a smile, u get one too, give a helping hand u get one too, i think it is time we move 4rm i and me to we and us principle, ur mansion is not safe until some other guys have someplace to rest their heads.
Another great one Felix.
May 6th, 2008 at 11:28 am
uhmmm, I love this write up! Take it or leave it, ..the greatest achievers lived their life for others. The more you can afford for your neighbour, the more the would be poured unto you as well! Period