Nothing is worth dying for. Do your best and leave the rest.

NUGGETS OF WISDOM

School of  Life with Waheed Ogunjobi

I have seen people run through the race of life  as if there would be no tomorrow.  I have seen people getting cut short halfway in the race to achieve or attain an end in life in addition to what they already acquired. I have seen people who toil day and night to be a better person and most often than not never became that persons until death came calling or in most instances, succumbed to the call of death shortly after attaining the much-desired level in life. One may then ask, what are the gains of all the toils? Whereas, such people might be able to live longer were it not for the extraordinary stress or inconveniences they subject themselves to , all in the name of meeting up with societal expectations. Truth is that , life is a continuous chain of struggle and no one can ever get to the other side of the chain. 

It is good to be ambitious in life, but not covetous. At the same time, it is good to be contented in life. This is the more reason we say, life is a double –edge sword. If you do not aspire, people will term you lazy and cold-natured  as well as being indolent and if you aspire too much, you will be termed over-ambitious. The bottomland is to draw  the line between being contented  and being over-ambitious. 

For instance, I have seen people aspire less and they have contentment and less challenge with health issues, especially at old age, while I have also seen those who aspired and aimed high and toiled and labour to the detriment of their health and at the end, they may end up expending the proceed of their wealth on maintaining a good health. It is a choice. Anyone can decide which is best for him based on capabilities. But, the bottom-line again is that, no aspiration is bigger than maintaining a good health. People should learn to study themselves, know when to slow down or draw the lines in the quest  of meeting up with societal demands, so that what you labored for so hard in life can be enjoyed to the fullest. No aspiration is worth pursuing at the detriment of your health, bearing in  mind that health itself is wealth.

Moving forward, we all labor and toil day and night to give the best to our family- wife, children, siblings, dependants, relatives , friend and what have you, but the simple truth is that those people can and will do without you , if the table is upturned. It is  the responsibility of every man to cater for his family because this will in a way be a source of peace of mind and joy , especially at the old age. But, the simple truth again is that, there is nothing worth dying for, especially if it comes at the expense of personal well-being. People should stop to think and be a little bit selfish. If I die , trying to please my wife, children family, what happens, would the world seize ? Nothing would happen, heavens will not fall. Life goes on. I took a little audit of people around me who have lost their loved ones, especially bread winners, I have not seen the children of any man who died, whether lately or long ago, whose children and wife are beaten by hunger and died on the street.  Yoruba will say ‘’ Eni tie bi pa ku’’. I have not seeing one. They have all learnt to adjust and move on with their lives. Those who are asleep hitherto, have suddenly woken up from their deep slumber; those who act foolishly have suddenly become wise; those who are extravagant have suddenly become frugal. 

On the contrary, everyman needs to do things in moderation to stay healthy and alive. When you tow that path, you do not unnecessarily risk your health or life and you do not also put your loved ones in a state of uncertainties, you  live to have the opportunity to take care of them as long as God wishes and everyone is happy. I repeat, nothing is worth dying for, do your best and leave the rest.

Tomorrow is another day.

Waheed Ogunjobi can be reached via 080350004741 or waheedogunjobi@gmail.com