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Ripple Effect
By Felix | September 15, 2008
For a while now, I have been too focused on chasing after money making opportunities alone, leaving some other important things that complete the puzzle I call my life hanging, when really I should know that it all adds up to make me, and this had gotten me very stressed up, so I decided to take out time from my busy schedule to look at other areas that have been left hanging.
Last week to be precise, I looked back at the beginning of the year and checked a few of my goals that I have not been following through and felt sad at how overwhelmed we can get with work and getting busy, that we forget some important commitments we have made and how these affect others. I was around Surulere ( Lagos, Nigeria) and I decided to pay a visit to the Heart of Gold Hospices, where I have a commitment to as a partner to take care of the children.
I hadn’t been there in a while, although I have kept in touch with the matron (God bless her kind heart), and I haven’t been visiting because I always plan on taking things there for the kids, so on this faithful day, I remembered what the matron told me once; “It’s not all the time you come here that you must bring money, food or provisions for the kids, sometimes I just need people to visit and spend time with the kids, they are happy when they see people to play with and we are happy when we see others that care too just by spending time with the kids” .
True to her words, when she saw me she was delighted and said God had brought me, and told me to go in and see the kids, I went in there and spent some time playing with them and got to see a few new cases, remember this is not any ordinary orphanage, its where the children with severe near death cases that have been rejected by other orphanages are sent to, anyways, I had fun with the children as they all wanted to play, and this resulted in some small adorable fights amongst them and when I think how ill this kids were b4 they were sent here and how if not taken care of would have passed away, I imagine what the world would be like if people like her were not around to take such bold steps and care for children that were abandoned by their real parents, and this reenacts my commitment to the partnership I have here with them.
Over the weekend I also spent some time with my friends from the Streets, and I got to see how enthused they are about doing something positive for themselves, one in particular takes out time to rub his ideas off me on how to grow his business and stay legit permanently, I am currently mentoring him into following this course, I remember how he wanted to see me for something important( as he put it) and on getting to meet with him, he asked me for advice on how he can leave the country for greener pastures, I was saddened at first, but took out time to explain to him his potentials and how he could make it here in Nigeria because he has a better chances where he is a first class citizen instead of travelling abroad to go and take on menial jobs that he won’t normally find fit for himself in Nigeria.
We have lost a lot of potential nation builders and leaders to the western world, because they didn’t take out time to look and see the opportunities that exist around them, after out discussion, he got to see the point I was driving hard, that “success is not a function of one’s outward location but a function your inner locations, your drive, desires and dreams and how passionate we are about succeeding.
A few others are asking me to help look for what they can do to earn legitimate living. I was very happy with this development and I know that if they have more positive influences around them, more can be achieved in terms of change for a lot of them out there on the streets to take on more positive roles in the society. This also reenacted the fact that a candle loses nothing by lighting other candles, because the guy I mentioned earlier has not been to any of my meetings on Street Skills, but his brother and other friends who have told him what they have gained and he was interested to know more and is already flowing in that direction, making me know that I have to organize more of this meetings, while pursuing my other goals.
This reminds me of a Sioux Indian story…
“My grandfather took me to the fish pond on the farm when I was about seven, and he told me to throw a stone into the water. He told me to watch the circles created by the stone. Then he asked me to think of myself as that stone person.
“You may create lots of splashes in your life but the waves that come from those splashes will disturb the peace of all your fellow creatures,” he said.
“Remember that you are responsible for what you put in your circle and that circle will also touch many other circles. You will need to live in a way that allows the good that comes from your circle to send the peace of that goodness to others.
Each person creates a ripple, in whatever sphere of life you might live in, question is…, is your ripple creating beauty or discord with all other circles of life!
Topics: Streets Skills, change, life lessons, questions |
September 15th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
‘is your ripple creating beauty or discord with all other circles of life’…indeed..our lives are always interwoven…from the orphans to the streets to the millionaires to me to u…we all need eachother to make the world a better place…i’ll keep watch on the effect of my ripple in the cirlce of my life
September 15th, 2008 at 11:44 pm
If there is one thing that a human should always be of.. and that is THEIR WORD.. if you cant back up what you say you will do you have nothing without your word.. u start to burn bridges and in the end are known for not being n honest person.. when i say i will do something i follow through with it.. i am known for my word for in the end that is all i have.. just wish others would follow suit.. u talk of life being rough in your country.. just remember this lil girl here that also depends on you.. and she also hasnt heard from you in a very very long time.. not to mention her needs arent being met.. wink.. HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.. glad to see you are ok ty for letting me know.. xxx
September 24th, 2008 at 11:22 am
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October 1st, 2008 at 10:52 pm
I am sure you were renewed and happier by the time you left the hospice…the best things in life are free…
I totally agree with you…your friend needs to journey within…truth is…it’s only a matter of time…you can’t increase inside without the outer man catching up…it always does.
October 1st, 2008 at 10:54 pm
P.S
saw the comment you left on my questionnaire…thanks for visiting…call again!