NO ONE TRULY HAS TEN OVER TEN

JayJay sighed as she drove her new car. She had wanted the latest model but who was she to complain when people had to join long queues just to get a seat in one of those rickety trotros. She was almost late for her meeting with the Board of Directors of her father’s company; thankfully the last one she had to endure before she took up her position as VP for Finance. She turned up the volume on the radio and started humming to the carol which seemed to be on repeat.

She noticed Sarah waving her to stop just as it began to rain. Sarah always had a smile on her face; she was never in a bad mood, even when her parents died in a gruesome accident, and though she didn’t seem to have much, she always shared whatever she had, no matter how small. She looked happy—something that JayJay hadn’t been in three years, ever since she lost her legs in the accident.

Sometimes it’s hard to believe that people who seem to have it all—cars, money, a gorgeous body, considerate parents—have problems. I once asked my friend if he ever had troubles and was met with a duh expression and a polite yes. I could tell that he summoned all the strength he had not to give me a cheeky answer.

On the outside, things may look great but on the inside may be a battle with things that we never, in our worst nightmares, thought could happen to a human being. Some of us, on the other hand, think we have angered fate for no reason because nothing seems to go well for us and we go about with faces as long as an adult blue whale. However, if we took a good and honest look at our lives, we would have to admit that there is some good stuff in there, hidden under a pile of nobody-likes-me-i-walk-alone-mummy-come-dry-my-tears thoughts.   

No matter how bright a person’s life looks, there are definitely some very dark spots. A wise person once said that if we were all allowed to throw our problems in a pile and then choose any other problem we wanted, we would each pick the ones we threw into the pile in the first place.

Life isn’t fair. Sometimes it is quite a shrew. Sometimes it throws temper tantrums and hurls rocks at us; instead of the lemons we were promised. Other times when it is in a good mood, it gives us really great treats. There is nothing that we can do about it, ne suban aa nono^*.

So my point is that no one’s life is all good or all bad; try to be content with and grateful for what you have and change what you can. Resolve to do your best in all situations and never forget that your life is controlled by two people, God and guess who?

Finally, in those times when we feel like we have used our last strength and lie down in the sand to die - dramatic pause- we should remember that God promised to never leave us nor forsake us, He gives power to the faint and to him who has no might, He increases strength; just trust in Him to see you through the hard times cause there are definitely better days ahead.

Till I get inspired by another bad day, be cheerful, be safe, and be you 

*That is its character

This piece was originally written for www.readcity.com on 25th August 2016