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Temi A: Between Science, Faith & Balancing Reality

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Foto.com.ng - Downloads-1I am a Christian. I pray daily. I am slightly distrustful of the Bible, for the main reason that as the word of God it has been tampered with too many times by too many people with less than godly intent. I find myself questioning things. My scepticism does not make me the best Christian around, but I believe in God nonetheless.

I believe that the universe is a huge network of energy – negative energy, positive energy. Focusing your thought on what you want, and achieving it, are a part of these.
A few years ago during summer break from university, I was contemplating the long summer ahead and the fact that I had no job or vacation scheduled. I was focusing intently on this problem when my phone rang. It was a solicitor I had worked with the previous year but hadn’t kept in touch with.  She asked if I was busy and when I answered in the negative, she informed me that she urgently needed help that day if I had the time. I said yes, dressed up and reported for duty. From helping out that day, I stayed at the firm until the end of summer and that solved my employment problem. When I relate this story, I use it as an example to show how your thoughts when it is geared and focused on what you want will actualise if it is the right thing for you. It might not be immediate, but it will happen if it is the right thing for you and you focus your energy on it.

As a realist, I don’t understand the things that I cannot account for rationally and this includes matters of the heart. I fell in love. It was the good kind of love. The type where the feelings are entirely one sided on your part and it is unrequited. I tried to be reasonable and to make rational decisions regardless of what the heart was saying. I eventually decided to move on because it was in my best interest to do so. I expected change within two weeks of making this decision, but nothing changed for the longest time. The fact that I could not forget this person made no sense to me so I decided to do a bit of research into the science of love. Ms. Helen Fisher in her very informative Ted Talk revealed that when you fall in love, the parts of your brain that produces Dopamine and Norepinephrine lights up (gods, I hope I spelt that right). These are chemicals usually associated with pleasurable feelings and you get used to the feeling they evoke. Like an addict you want to feel that way all the time and that is a probable reason why falling in love is one of the easiest thing to do and moving on the hardest. Moving on can be every bit as painful as recovering from a drug addiction. Dopamine is also released with use of cocaine, so physically that is where the brain is whilst our emotions are going about the business of falling in love.

After reading that, I felt better for a while but this did not stop me from going on my knees to pray the feelings away. I was worried that I might have ingested a love potion at some point or there was a family generational curse somewhere (I couldn’t be sure what spiritual problem I was facing) but whatever it was; I wanted God to send Holy Ghost fire to roast the enemies trying to tie me down to the web of unrequited love. I was not taking chances as it concerned moving on.

My ears just popped. That means someone is talking about me .This is a superstition whose origin I don’t know, but I have taken its meaning to heart. Whenever my palm itches I believe I am about to become rich: I don’t walk under arches as that is bad luck and when I find a feather (I don’t rear poultry so you have to admit that is suspect) I believe that is my guardian angel sending a bit of love my way.

I have been told that my belief system seems contradictory and it probably is because despite all of the above, I believe that I have a free will and my actions are not predestined or fated. I am a product of my upbringing, society and reality. It only makes sense to have a varied belief system that helps me cope. I do not imagine I am the only one. If you are every bit as superstitious as I am, love logical explanations, but also enjoy and think that the horoscope and zodiac signs might have a 50% chance of truth to them etc comment below and share your side of the story.

Photo Credit: Foto.com.ng |Nsoedo Frank

I like to believe that I am entirely focused on building a career as a Solicitor, but my love for Food and Yoruba movies poses a serious threat to this dream.

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