Ayo Al: Life Is An Illusion

Is anything ever as it appears? With time, I’ve come to understand that most times, life is an illusion.

I remember a woman who lived on my street when I was very young. The woman had a provision store, very big and filled with all the necessary items. She was the talk of the area as many wanted to be like her and own a store like hers. Many women fought with their husbands because he had not opened a store for them. They wanted to be like that Alhaja who reigned supreme in her store. The day people found out that she ran the shop for her husband and she accounted for every penny spent, many changed their prayers, and started preaching contentment.

“O ma ga o! So this woman is just like a sales girl. Kai!”
Those were the words on the lips of many who had quickly forgotten how they had yearned to be ‘ Alhaja’

Several years later, I became friends with a certain young man and I must say till date, I cannot still understand how his mind worked. One day as we chatted, he casually asked me for a loan, a very small amount at that. Of course, I wanted to know what he needed the money for. I was still an undergraduate, but he already had a very good job. So I wondered why he was still financially handicapped.

When I kept pestering him, he told me that he was broke because his ex girlfriend had just gotten married. “So? what business of yours is that?” I asked him.

“She was very good to me while we were together. So I took my last 50k to her wedding. I sprayed it all on her, I didn’t even wait to eat. I just had to let her know she wasn’t the only one that had gotten a good job. I didn’t want her to believe I was still the broke guy she had dated” He said.

On my bed where I laid as we chatted, my phone fell out of my hands as my mouth opened in shock. I couldn’t understand why he would go that far just to prove a point to a person – a person who wasn’t even in my life anymore and a point which was very meaningless, at that. He was stupid, but I wasn’t. I knew my ten Kobo wasn’t going into his hands. I hastily ended the chat, still marvelling at his stupidity.

It also came to mind that someone at that wedding might have been envious of him as he sprayed the money. It is even possible that the person lost sleep that night just because he had just 2000 Naira to part with for the celebrants. . While the one who had gone to show off was now begging to get funds to survive, the other one who had cut his coat well still had enough to eat at home.

It just goes to prove that nothing is ever as it seems. Rather than pray or long for something someone else has, ask God to give you what is perfect for you. It is not wrong to admire a person, or a person’s possession, but being depressed and sad just doesn’t cut it.

The moment people realize that God indeed is a perfect God and he will surely grant your desires that connects to his plans, more people would go to bed with a peaceful mind. His thoughts are not your thoughts and surely, he will bring you to your expected end. Just wait on him!

Be content; enjoy whatever moment you are experiencing, so that when the next stage of your life comes, you will be alert enough to know!

Photo Credit: Mykola Kravchenko | Dreamstime.com