I thought to myself. Deeply and soberly, how would it feel if I had to depend on the stranger I cannot see to take my next step?
Griiing! Griiing! The pesky peace-snatching chime of my alarm helps start the day and after snoozing in a little while longer I roll my lazy frame off my comfort and bring my knees to the soft but sure prickings of the rug by my bed. Rubbing my face briskly as though speckles of sleep adorned it, elbows angled and hands clasped, I whispered a few words to the one who made all these and many more possible. Flipping through my bible with eyes scanning steadily for my daily bread, my soul listened for its food.
Foot and ankle; shin, calf and knee; a worthy order with which my weight steadied up in the air. I made for the wardrobe, picking out my clothing for the day. With my green towel in my hands I made for the shower and walked out of it cleaner and moist. I stared into the mirror and beheld for a few seconds, my well-dressed frame and just as seconds gave way to minutes, I hit the road. With cool air brushing past my face and music filtering into my ears, I was headed for work.
And then…
With his shirt buttoned up wrongly, his pants missing every other belt-hole and his foldable staff clutched in his hands, he takes one step at a time, obviously unsure if the next one would afford him another. He feels body heat nearby and whispers in this direction, ‘Could you please help me get on a bus to Obalende?’ The other stranger obliged and while holding his hand, led him on a bus to his destination.
He stepped on and made to take a seat at the empty space that was to occupy the last foldable seat and just then I said, ‘Hold on, may I help you extend the seat?’ with a thankful smile, he said, ‘Thank you sir’ and sat down slowly and carefully. While he sensed that the bus was coming to final halt, he turned to his side as though he could see or even knew the stranger beside him, ‘Could you please lead me out of the bus?’
He stood at the ever-busy bus stop, stretching out his staff and then he started making his way forward. Carefully and steadily, in a direction only he knew.
And just then…
I thought to myself. Deeply and soberly, how would it feel if I had to depend on the stranger I cannot see to take my next step? Turn to the next source of body heat to know when to get across the street? And put my weight on a staff, one I cannot even see?
How I take every ‘free gift’ for granted? My eyes see, ears hear, hands hold, legs walk, sense of smell and balance direct, and my mind births. These and many more, are a part of my daily freebies to make a difference with. And here-in lies my 1000th freebie, ‘the ability to thank God for all these and more, willingly’.
You have read, you have seen but wouldn’t it be sin not to use up your 1000th freebie?
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Kayode Kolade is an astute project management consultant and strategist, currently practising as a construction professional. He is a passionate writer, with an unrepentant zeal to cause stir in forging ahead in every endeavor the mind is involved. GenuisMinded (as he is fondly called), finds fulfillment in mentoring and public speaking – @kkolade
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30 Days 30 Voices series is an opportunity for young Nigerians to share their stories and experiences with other young Nigerians, within our borders and beyond, to inspire and motivate them.
Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.
For my eyes,ears,straight legs,I thank u God
Very lovely piece Kay! It's so funny how we take a lot of things for granted and we believe it's our right to have them. Let us always have an attitude of gratitude.
Made me sober-stop nd reflect 4 a min. Nice piece. D things we tke 4 granted..
Well said..things we take for granted
Wow…this is mind-blowing
Youth, Hope of the
world
youth empowerment
simply means self
employment or self
sufficiency.
We Nigerian youth that
were still schooling we
can still engage our
selves in activities that
can make us to be self
reliance and productive,
both academically and
finacially. Instead of
wasting our precious
time and depending on
others, or engaging our
selves in suspicious act
or embarassing things
that we cant even be
boast of in the society.
We can invest that time
by learnin one skills or
the other.
There are so many skills
that we youth can
acquire while schooling
*INTELLECTUAL SKILLS:
this skills can be
acquired through
academic learning and
studying establishment
of evening coaching for
junior ones or pupils
preparing for common
entrance examination or
for junior waec, waec,
jamb, neco ,etc
*COMMUNICATIVE
SKILLS: communication
is different from
speaking communication
is the act of sending
and recieving ideas
between two or more
people.
People are employed in
broadcasting station
because they
communicate and
express ideas better
than others.
As a student we can
develop our
communicative skills
when we take
leadership roles in:
i. Literary and debating
society.
ii. Social clubs such as
junior chamber, in or
church and mosques,
local communities
football clubs etc
we should be bold, self
confidence and
courageous to face
audience.
* Artists skills: this has
to do with creativity
ability even imaginary
objects.
This starts when we
made ourselves
available in cultural and
creative art classes. We
can develop the skill by
participating in cultural
and creative art
competition festival and
the tiles interest in
artists and also pay
attention to what they
do and how they do
things
* Life coping skills
* Manipulative skills
Am sure with this you
will be prepare for
greater future
challenges
By OLAWALE DAVID
OYINLADE Director of
Y,HOTW
Youth, Hope of the.
world
youth empowerment
simply means self.
employment or self.
sufficiency.
We Nigerian youth that.
were still schooling we.
can still engage our.
selves in activities that.
can make us to be self.
reliance and productive,
both academically and.
finacially. Instead of
wasting our precious.
time and depending on.
others, or engaging our.
selves in suspicious act.
or embarassing things.
that we cant even be.
boast of in the society.
We can invest that time.
by learnin one skills or.
the other.
There are so many skills.
that we youth can.
acquire while schooling.
*INTELLECTUAL SKILLS:
this skills can be.
acquired through
academic learning and.
studying establishment
of evening coaching for.
junior ones or pupils.
preparing for common.
entrance examination or.
for junior waec, waec,
jamb, neco , etc.
*COMMUNICATIVE
SKILLS: communication
is different from.
speaking communication
is the act of sending.
and recieving ideas.
between two or more.
people.
People are employed in.
broadcasting station
because they
communicate and
express ideas better.
than others.
As a student we can.
develop our
communicative skills
when we take.
leadership roles in:
i. Literary and debating.
society.
ii. Social clubs such as.
junior chamber, in or.
church and mosques,
local communities
football clubs etc.
we should be bold, self.
confidence and
courageous to face.
audience.
* Artists skills: this has.
to do with creativity.
ability even imaginary.
objects.
This starts when we.
made ourselves
available in cultural and.
creative art classes. We
can develop the skill by.
participating in cultural.
and creative art.
competition festival and.
the tiles interest in.
artists and also pay.
attention to what they.
do and how they do.
things
* Life coping skills.
* Manipulative skills.
Am sure with this you.
will be prepare for.
greater future
challenges
By OLAWALE DAVID.
OYINLADE Director of.
Y, HOTW
Youth, Hope of the.
world
youth empowerment
simply means self.
employment or self.
sufficiency.
We Nigerian youth that.
were still schooling we.
can still engage our.
selves in activities that.
can make us to be self.
reliance and productive,
both academically and.
finacially. Instead of
wasting our precious.
time and depending on.
others, or engaging our.
selves in suspicious act.
or embarassing things.
that we cant even be.
boast of in the society.
We can invest that time.
by learnin one skills or.
the other.
There are so many skills.
that we youth can.
acquire while schooling.
*INTELLECTUAL SKILLS:
this skills can be.
acquired through
academic learning and.
studying establishment
of evening coaching for.
junior ones or pupils.
preparing for common.
entrance examination or.
for junior waec, waec,
jamb, neco , etc.
*COMMUNICATIVE
SKILLS: communication
is different from.
speaking communication
is the act of sending.
and recieving ideas.
between two or more.
people.
People are employed in.
broadcasting station
because they
communicate and
express ideas better.
than others.
As a student we can.
develop our
communicative skills
when we take.
leadership roles in:
i. Literary and debating.
society.
ii. Social clubs such as.
junior chamber, in or.
church and mosques,
local communities
football clubs etc.
we should be bold, self.
confidence and
courageous to face.
audience.
* Artists skills: this has.
to do with creativity.
ability even imaginary.
objects.
This starts when we.
made ourselves
available in cultural and.
creative art classes. We
can develop the skill by.
participating in cultural.
and creative art.
competition festival and.
the tiles interest in.
artists and also pay.
attention to what they.
do and how they do.
things
* Life coping skills.
* Manipulative skills.
Am sure with this you.
will be prepare for.
greater future
challenges
By OLAWALE DAVID.
OYINLADE Director of.
Y, HOTW