My barber lamented the hardships faced, which I am not alien to. He has five children and a spouse and showed me what he fed his family with for the night—the burnt leftover part of a popular food center here in Kwara, 'item7'. I was touched to my marrow, seeing a full fledged man opting for such an alternative just to stay alive.
Yet again, I had to part with the little money I had when a lady disclosed to me the kilometers of journey she has to endure daily before getting to work, as transportation was expensive and her preference for expenses was food items. Times are truly hard, but in all, we keep hope alive.
I have always been a staunch believer that the troubles ahead are little compared to those faced in the past. I hope I am right, as recently, the cost of living in Nigeria is killing the living. In all of these, keeping my mental health and sanity optimum is a great gain for me.
I realize that many people around me also need help, and bugging them with my wants or needs is the least I could do. Thus, I learned to limit my expenses by prioritizing my needs. Living a minimalist lifestyle has become very helpful at this age. I realized that I am not alone in these troubling times; almost everyone around me is facing hardships, and the best I could do is not inconvenience others unless they are in dire need. There are many times I've wanted to reach out for help, but the consciousness of being a burden to others often holds me back.
If I were hopeless, perhaps life would be meaningless, but I have learned to stay optimistic and focused. First, I have learned to stay within the limits of my essential needs. Having a problem solving skill has equally helped, and this was what prompted me to venture into farming, both for livestock and crops. It was not convenient, but it was a way out of the hard times, and not only would I have myself to feed but also those around me while making a few extra bucks.
IMAGE CREDIT IS MINE
So, rather than wallow in hard times, I have risen to the occasion by fighting back with hard work. I have ventured into farming, and my next target is learning the basics of trading. I know it's easy for some, but trading goes beyond buying and selling. It has much to do with my emotions, staying undefeated, and being careful not to make rash decisions based on market outcomes.
My passion for blogging has also been invigorated as #hive has been a blessing to many, making lives better than they were before. Though I feel the thickness of darkness and troubles, I see only the light at the end of the tunnel.
I would love to invite you to the party of monthly and daily prompts on #inleo by visiting HERE for inspirational prompts.
Thank you for reading. I would love to have your comments and contributions.
