Life's A Gift

To start a day is a gift,
It's a gift to end it also.
We get so used to the monotonous living,
And take for granted the fact that we're still existing.
Live this day like there's no tomorrow,
Prepare your tomorrow like today's all you got.
Weird that the first thing to cross my mind hearing of another's demise is 'Life goes on'
That truth it is.
Life would not stand still for the death of another.

No matter who dies...life goes on.

5 Tips On Being An Exceptional...

We are irredeemably social as humans and love to interact, so we build relationships. There's a Yoruba saying that goes, 'Humans are like water courses' so we part to meet and meet to part.

Have you ever found yourself having difficulty someplace you are not too familiar with, and then someone you knew or knew you somewhere else comes into the picture to save the day? That's the value of the littlest forms of relationships built.

The reasons you should build relationships is not because you want favors or to make money from them, but because you can build a dependable bond, learn humility, and add value. So how do you do this?

Be friendly to people you see everyday, greet them, you may be lightning someone up for the rest of the day with just a smile. It's a good way to increase your circle of friends, and make peace.

Integrity, try to be sure of what you say to be true and stand by it. People don't like to deal with others whose words and will waiver. Be decisive and assertive.

Pay Attention, be observant of people's needs, they are opportunities for you to offer value. This way you teach yourself to be desired by others. People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.

Be down to earth, even fake people don't like to have fake people around them. Don't be in the clouds of eloquence and brilliance all the time, bring it home, speak pidgin if you can't speak their local language. Abeg! No forming. Let others find it easy to relate with you and your experiences no matter what side of the  divide you're on. Let them think you exceptional, not strange.

Last but not the least...

Be receptive: Make others feel wanted and relevant by receiving from them. Ask questions, for directions, how to do things and receive gifts (according to your discretion). People around you feel good to know they can add value to you also.

PS: I'm on this journey too.

LIVE,LEARN,LOVE!

Mjady

How To Or Not To Propose.

WARNING: Long but interesting post ahead.

It's that time of the year again, that time they call the 'Season of Love' (Sorry, I'm not a big fan). I guess this particular day records the highest number of marriage proposals every year. You know I'm talking about Valentine's day.

Last year, one of my secondary school seniors got a proposal on the radio on Val's day (The guy proposed to her on radio, just in case you don't understand) it was mushy...you know...and it worked for her, they married in December.

When you see 'I'm not a big fan' of Valentine's day, it does not mean I'm a hater (maybe just a table fan LOL), God knows I'm a romantic, I just don't show it.

Maybe one of the reasons why I'm not a big fan of Valentine is because my romantic relationships have not lasted till Valentine's yet. But seriously, the thing that makes Valentine not tick for me is that I may be expecting something if I'm in a romantic relationship and I hate expecting, because it is synonymous to extreme apprehension or (God forbid) an OCD for that thing I'm expecting.

Marriage proposal is an overwhelming experience especially for ladies, guys should not think that ladies want marriage so bad, they don't care how you ask.

We ladies are the ones who like to talk about the proposal stories. Tiwa Savage's birthday party cum proposal this week, was what got us gisting about how we like or do not like to be proposed to. The following are the views of ladies who could not resist the juicy gist that morning, just before the work started weighing.

Mjady
I would not like a proposal on a day I'm expecting surprises, like Val's day or my birthday. It won't work for me, my mind would have gone far and wide about what, how and where the surprises would come from. I'd like it innovative and unexpected, but not overboard.

Yem
I hope I get a proposal on Valentine's day, it would be so lovely. I just want to hear those words.

ML
He proposed on one of our outings, I was not expecting it. We were on a boat cruise and that was all I was excited about till we got to the middle of the ocean and the boat stopped. I was wondering whatever may have happened while he feigned trying to pick a call and bringing his phone out of his pocket. The next thing I know is, he going on one knee with a ring in his hand...*gasp*

Tomy
The first proposal I received was at the airport, I was returning from a trip. I was approaching my boyfriend who was supposed to receive me when I saw him go on one knee, I was totally embarrassed. I accepted, just to avoid embarrassing him in front of that crowd. After that day, I declined his proposal because I was not ready for marriage, but we remained friends. Years after that we were in a romantic relationship again and he proposed in a better way this time. Our marriage is almost two years old now.

Desy
Any day is special for a marriage proposal in my opinion, the guy should be creative with his 'element of surprise' and make it special for his lady.

*I wish this was a disclaimer but Mjady, is single Yem  is dating, ML is engaged, Tomy and Desy are married.

Now it's your turn to share your thots.

It Takes Courage To Live

On Monday morning this week, I was reading a CV that didn't seem like the owner should be applying for the post of a driver. I would have thought him an executive (Just by his dressing) if he didn't open his mouth to say he was applying for the job vacancy. If I was HR, I don't think I would have had liver to employ him as a driver. I can't help thinking what unfortunate factor caused his present situation. But that's not what breaks my heart.

Waiting to be called for final test driving, he makes a call and at the other end of the line is the most beautiful voice I've ever heard. "Are you back from school?...Do you have any money with you?" He asked.

"No" she answered. He mentioned something about her going to meet someone then the call ended. He excused himself to use the convenience...I got teary eyed.

The thing is, it's not everyone that has to courage to live after life throws a big stone into their stable pond. I don't know what office this man held before coming to apply to be someone's driver, but what one thing I know he has is 'Courage'. That is what makes a man do something about the suffering of his family, throwing aside pride, ego, and shame. Not every man does this, that I'm sure of, so I celebrate the ones I see.

Cheers! To this man of courage.

NB: This is not his picture.

 

The Parable Of Leverage.

Once upon a time there lived a very great teacher, he had great wisdom and performed signs & wonders. He also had ardent followers he called 'disciples' and sought to teach them as they lived from day to day. He taught his followers and listeners mostly in parables but one day he sought to teach them in a practical class.

They were on one of their crusades, he had taught and ministered to them, it was getting closer to dusk and he perceived the crowd that had been with him would be hungry by now. His disciples perceived alike and said to him to send the crowd to nearby farms and villages to feed themselves, but the teacher refused and asked them to do something about it. Though he knew what to do.

One of the disciples said "Even if we worked for months we won't get money that may feed this multitude." Another disciple found someone's lunch, five barley loaves and two fish, just after the teacher had asked what they had and for the multitude to be numbered "But what can this do for Five thousand men?" He wondered aloud as he handed them over to the teacher. 

The teacher asked his disciples to get the multitude seated, when that was done he lifted the lunch and his face heavenward and gave thanks, then he broke the lunch passing it on to his disciples to serve the multitude. Everyone ate, when they were satisfied, the teacher asked the leftover be gathered. When the leftover was gathered it filled twelve baskets. Once again it was another wondrous work, but did they learn the lesson?

This is the parable of leverage; using what you don't own to get what you want.

I hope you can read between the lines too.

Rich Kid Vs Poor Kid.

Just the other day, I was talking to a man about the Richest Black Woman and made mention of her having a wealthy family background. He said she was business smart, contrary to most rich kids who place no value on money and squander it.

I opposed.
Yes some rich kids do waste money, but there's a higher possibility for a rich kid to end up rich than a poor kid ending up rich.

He opposed.
When all they do is inherit the family's wealth and don't know how to manage it, they don't stay rich. Poor kids know the value of hard work, work for money and value money when they get it.

I agreed but not totally.
Even if rich kids lose money, it is not entirely the 'end of the road' for them.
Rich kids grew in environments that taught them not to fear money, poor kids learn to fear money and their owners.
Rich kids learn business studies in practical situations better than poor kids who may be struggling to understand the theories taught in class, because they don't find it applicable around them.

Rich kids observe the importance of relationship for leverage and learn how to use them to their advantage faster than poor kids who have learnt to base most relationships on sentiments.
Rich kids learn, to take risks, take opportunities and take action, from their parents and relations who do the same as opposed to poor kids who are gravely discouraged from taking any risks or attribute all life's circumstances to the hand of God.
And who says hard work alone has guaranteed wealth for anyone?
Rich kids just have a higher probability of getting financial and business intelligence.

"With these few points of mine, I hope I've been able to confuse you and not to convince you that..."

 All in favor of poor kids who do get rich, please drop your ThotsToShare. ;)

SOS : Six and Molested.

There are a lot of incidences that occur to people everyday that indicate that the world is ailing and would still be, but it doesn't mean that nothing should be done about the world's ailments.

*Funsho who is not able to cater for the education of all his children turns to his siblings for help, and his idea of help is scattering his children across his siblings' families so as to get them educated. *Queen moved to stay with her aunt when she was Four years old so she could get educated, but she has been handling responsibilities far from her age's capability. Now she returns from school everyday to wait for hours outside the house, hungry and unattended to, till her aunt returns from her shop with her cousins who attend a different school and are dropped to be with their mum till they retire to their home. *Queen is now Six years old and not just waiting after school unattended to, a neighbor has sighted her in the mallam's shop being molested by the pervert. *Queen denied it when she was asked what happened.

I've not been so settled after hearing this story, these happenings are the foundations of the promiscuous girls of tomorrow. I wondered if there was a rescue operation body out there that can save Queen from the neglect and abuse she's experiencing everyday..

You can say this is not my business, but I'm on her case would still be on her case till there's a way out for Queen.

How many more bent trees do we have wait to get from twisted saplings?

"What Do You Say?"

Remember when you were growing up and learning manners, when someone gives you something and you receive it in your mother's presence, seconds after you hear her ask "What do you say?" and then you reply "Thank You"?



I've been trying to write a post on gratefulness and gratitude and I'm still on it, but this morning I came across a Facebook post shared by one of my contacts who shared someone else's thoughts, so I decided to share it with you. What does that make me? :)

All protocols duly observed as I post exactly what I saw how I saw it. I think it's okay I don't share his picture at least you know that this is genuinely from fb.

Omotola Afolabi Abimbola

2 hours ago via mobile · 

• Freddy Ogugua Esenwa wrote: (I also strongly believe)
  
  This is one of the nicest e-mails I have seen, and it really puts things into Perspective..
  
  I had a dream that I went to Heaven and an angel was showing me around. We walked side-by-side inside a large workroom filled with angels. My angel guide stopped in front of the first section and said, ‘This is the Receiving Section. Here, all petitions to God said in prayer are received.’
  
  I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world.
  
  Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section..
  
  The angel then said to me, ‘This is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them.. ‘I noticed again how busy it was there. There were many angels working hard at that station, since so many blessings had been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth.
  
  Finally at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the door of a very small station. To my great surprise, only one angel was seated there, idly doing nothing. ‘This is the Acknowledgment Section,’ my angel friend quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed ‘How is it that there is no work going on here?’ I asked.
  
  ‘So sad,’ the angel sighed. ‘After people receive the blessings that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments .’
  
  ‘How does one acknowledge God’s blessings?’ I asked.
  
  ‘Simple,’ the angel answered. Just say, ‘Thank you, Lord.’
  
  ‘What blessings should they acknowledge?’ I asked.
  
  ‘If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy .’
  
  ‘And if you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity.’
  
  ‘If you woke up this morning with more health than illness … You are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day .’
  
  ‘If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation … You are ahead of 700 million people in the world.’
  
  ‘If you can attend a church without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death you are envied by, and more blessed than, three billion people in the world. ‘
  
  ‘If your parents are still alive and still married …you are very rare .’
  
  ‘If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm, you’re unique to all those in doubt and despair.’
  
  Ok, what now? How can I start? If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you as very special and you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.
  
  Have a good day, count your blessings, and if you want, pass this along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are....and indeed we really are blessed!

  
  

  

  
  

  Source

  
  

  
  

  That's it. Touche. How much of what Mummy tried to teach you then is being practiced by you now?

Actions Speak Louder Than Intentions.

source

We were preparing Sunday lunch, and I'm still trying to recall how the discussion started. 

Ok! Triple A stepped into the kitchen wanting something to snack on before lunch was ready, he asked if the cereal was for our nephew who was around with his mum.

Mobbie said it was for everyone.

Triple A thought out loud that it was adult food that the baby would still grow to eat.

Mjady said if it was for our nephew, it won't be bad for him to eat it, that he would just be eating ounje omo (I don't know how to translate that to English in two words)

Triple A replied that it was okay for a child to eat the food for adults but not the other way round, and the same thing with clothes.

Mobbie and Mjady argued with Triple A playfully, that it's just ounje omo, as a parent you would j'ounje omo, especially as a mother, what if the baby doesn't finish the food? You wouldn't throw it away now, and there's no big deal in it afterall.

Triple A retorted that we were wombiliki, wobia. Then he opened the door of the refrigerator, picked up the half drunk up Caprisonne he saw and sipped, then asked to whom it belonged.

Mobbie replied that he was taking ounje omo , we laughed at him.

Then he said "You see that's how life is o, people don't see your intentions, they only see your actions."

WERD!! (Pun intended)

When you stand for something and you've bragged about your standing, you may fall into traps that make your actions contradict your intentions.

Let he who stands take heed...

Making Your 2013 Resolutions Work.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! HAPPY 2013!

source

At the start of each year, we perceive new beginnings, we give ourselves new opportunities to be better at one thing or the other. So we set goals called 'New Year Resolutions'

You may have set new year resolutions in the past and not seen yourself accomplish them, so you have given up on the 'resolution' thing. But hey, if you aim at nothing you would hit it every time.

So here is a simple way of setting goals and achieving them.

Be aware of your thoughts and eliminate negative thoughts by not paying attention to them e.g Don't think I would not be sick, think I am healthy.

Write your goals as a list of things that you want, instead of a set things you MUST do. Adding necessity introduces pressure and fear. After all goals are a finish in sight we would love to see.

Don't shortchange yourself, dare, take risks, go out of your comfort zone with what you want.

Don't be afraid to plunge in and take opportunities in achieving these goals, in the process you would learn from your successes and failures.

Cultivate the habit of gratefulness, see every goal as accomplished and give thanks to God everyday for them.

Try these method faithfully and you would be happy with the results you get.

This year I want to be unsensationally sensational. Watch me as I get there.

Mjady.