Keep Believing

I wanted to become a pilot as a child
I loved planes and eagerly wanted to fly
As I grew older, my love for planes waned because of what I could do with a ball at my feet
And then I saw a professional do an amazing skill
I vowed I was going to do the same, but broke my leg while attempting to
For months I was in pains
And later found comfort in a girl
Who came around at that time
Her name was May
She was so fine, she made me smile
She was like ice cream, slowly cooling me down
She was the matchbox and I, the match stick
And whenever our paths crossed, there was always a kind of fire
Someone once said
“All things end badly, otherwise they’ll never end”
That was so true in our case because our fire never really burnt big
Its flames were reduced to sparks and then smokes
And as time went by… we slowly drifted apart

Young love, young aspirations and passions became memories past
Naivety and childhood fantasies were driven away by life’s harsh realities
I lost my innocence over the years
Couldn’t judge my actions by right and wrongs
Only evaluated them by the most appropriate approach for a particular moment
At a point, it felt like I was chasing shadows
Like the world, at me, was shooting arrows
My frustrations made me close my eyes to the misfortune of others
I even trained my heart to be still in their adversity
Forgetting quickly that a quiet conscience gives strength and clarity
Then I saw this line in a book I read
“He, who has courage and faith, never die in misery”

So, I decided in my heart to acquire courage
To search for beauty, discover happiness and regain my balance
To have faith in every step I take and increase my quest for knowledge
To get a grip on my flaws and be my best in every way
I observed and learned, studied from every of my defeat
I also had petite celebrations in the few battles I won
I never surrendered, never lost sight of what I desired
I took the bull by the horn
Faced my challenges, never ran
I was opened and filled with the desire to succeed
Focused and persistent, knowing at the end I’ll win

Without the plane, or the ball, or that girl I dearly loved
I never gave up in my pursuit of happiness
I now utilize my power of imagination to the fullest
Evident in what you can now see

Jack of all trade, master of none
Sounds more like a preconceived notion to me
Do diligently whatever your hands find
Quit complaining, be cheerful and do not be mean
In the words of Jane Austin
“If one scheme of happiness fails, human nature turns to another
If the first calculation is wrong, we make a second better;
We find comfort somewhere”

Do not quit on yourself, you can do better
Go for it.
Keep believing.

Seun Afolabi
E4 enterprises