The Gratitudinal Axis
07/07/2010 was an interesting day for me.It was drizzling lightly as I walked to the Bus-stop on my way to work that morning and I couldn’t help but recall the opportunity I had to buy a car while I was in Lagos, which I passed up; I mean who wants to drive a car along that mad crazy Ijora/7UP Road to Apapa? Certainly not me anyway. But this morning I felt bad and regretted that decision. If only I had been wiser I would not have been getting slowly but surely soaked like this, I reasoned. My mood soured and dampened to match the miserable weather and I probably would have carried that disposition on into the rest of my day had I not been mercifully rescued, cured of it by a stab of reality.
As I made progress I saw this guy sitting on the ground by the roadside. Aside from his canvas shoes which had holes at the toes, he was fairly decently dressed; his jeans were not unduly faded and the long sleeve shirt he had on was not really bad looking or particularly dirty. His hair however was bushy and unkempt, your first hint that something was wrong, aside that is from the fact that he was sitting on the ground at a busy, major junction at 7:55 a.m on a Wednesday morning. His hands were on his head and he was mumbling to himself and shaking his head pitifully as if recollecting the sad events that put him in his current circumstances.
Looking at him you could see someone who had clearly just lost it. My first impression – and I still believe that is the case – was that he is a graduate, frustrated by a lack of opportunities and openings. The combination of constant, unprogressive reflection and perhaps the ingestion of something psychotropic had clearly taken its toll. A thought crossed my mind sending chills unrelated to the cool, wet weather down my spine: that could be ME! I know you’re thinking “impossible” and “God forbid” and such but me, I’m just thinking “God I thank you for your mercy and grace”.
My blessings suddenly became clearer and I saw my situation from a better perspective. The little things didn’t look so little after-all: the bed I slept in, the hot bath I took, the clothes I was wearing, the job I was on my way to, the “have a great day” plus handshakes I had already received and the sound mind with which I was able to assess another human being’s sanity. The list goes on and on and on.
Seriously, what was my problem? I could have taken a cab if I wanted and was only walking to stretch my limbs and take in the scenery and I was wearing a suit so it wasn’t really that cold and besides I had hot tea and/or coffee at the Office to look forward to and here was this guy, someone’s son at whose birth there was great rejoicing, prayers and merry-making, sitting on the ground at an advanced stage of the process of running mad and I was complaining!
Now, I do have some real issues I’m grappling with which didn’t disappear with my epiphanic experience but I was able to have a more realistic appraisal of how dire they actually are or are not. Problems will always exist but the perspective you view your problems from – your “gratitudinal axis” – go a long way in determining whether you become a bitter, perpetually warped sour puss or a person who can take the issues of life in his/her stride and regardless, be on their way with rejoicing.
There are complications within your ability to unravel: may God grant you the strength to tackle them. But there are difficulties that are just beyond you (at least at the moment). For those, may He give you fortitude, perseverance, faith and equanimity till they are resolved.
And may He heal and restore the infirm, amen.
As I made progress I saw this guy sitting on the ground by the roadside. Aside from his canvas shoes which had holes at the toes, he was fairly decently dressed; his jeans were not unduly faded and the long sleeve shirt he had on was not really bad looking or particularly dirty. His hair however was bushy and unkempt, your first hint that something was wrong, aside that is from the fact that he was sitting on the ground at a busy, major junction at 7:55 a.m on a Wednesday morning. His hands were on his head and he was mumbling to himself and shaking his head pitifully as if recollecting the sad events that put him in his current circumstances.
Looking at him you could see someone who had clearly just lost it. My first impression – and I still believe that is the case – was that he is a graduate, frustrated by a lack of opportunities and openings. The combination of constant, unprogressive reflection and perhaps the ingestion of something psychotropic had clearly taken its toll. A thought crossed my mind sending chills unrelated to the cool, wet weather down my spine: that could be ME! I know you’re thinking “impossible” and “God forbid” and such but me, I’m just thinking “God I thank you for your mercy and grace”.
My blessings suddenly became clearer and I saw my situation from a better perspective. The little things didn’t look so little after-all: the bed I slept in, the hot bath I took, the clothes I was wearing, the job I was on my way to, the “have a great day” plus handshakes I had already received and the sound mind with which I was able to assess another human being’s sanity. The list goes on and on and on.
Seriously, what was my problem? I could have taken a cab if I wanted and was only walking to stretch my limbs and take in the scenery and I was wearing a suit so it wasn’t really that cold and besides I had hot tea and/or coffee at the Office to look forward to and here was this guy, someone’s son at whose birth there was great rejoicing, prayers and merry-making, sitting on the ground at an advanced stage of the process of running mad and I was complaining!
Now, I do have some real issues I’m grappling with which didn’t disappear with my epiphanic experience but I was able to have a more realistic appraisal of how dire they actually are or are not. Problems will always exist but the perspective you view your problems from – your “gratitudinal axis” – go a long way in determining whether you become a bitter, perpetually warped sour puss or a person who can take the issues of life in his/her stride and regardless, be on their way with rejoicing.
There are complications within your ability to unravel: may God grant you the strength to tackle them. But there are difficulties that are just beyond you (at least at the moment). For those, may He give you fortitude, perseverance, faith and equanimity till they are resolved.
And may He heal and restore the infirm, amen.
Amen and Amen. Hmmm. i need to go analyse this "gratitudinal axis" thingy. Nice one
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