The first time I attempted taking what doesn't belong to me, or call it Stealing was when I was 7 years old. But my own story was different!
Then we lived with many cousins in one house, plus my 5 siblings. So most of them had some characters both bad and good that influenced me. But we know, bad things are always easier to imitate, especially as a child.
My mom used to engage everyone in his own work and there was reward for everyone, but most of my cousins would steal some money from my mom or take a change they got from buying stuffs when my mom forgets about it. This continued for long and they always buy nice things with the money and they'd also give to us and even tell us how they got the money.
So one day I saw a misplaced money, probably from my mom's bag because it was beside it, it was a very little change, about N20, it could only buy two candies, That was what I thought, then I put in my pocket. Though I had double thoughts, one was to return the money to my mom, the other was to take it and give myself a treat of 1 Abiola milk and 1 sweet lol, I chose the later, but I soon regretted the decision!
"Hey Mary, come here!" My mom's called out with an angry and disappointed voice!
My heart sank as I realized the gravity of my actions, my only thoughts were that she saw me taking the money. And that was exactly what it was!
"Gosh how was she watching me...?" My thoughts as my heart beats increased more and more.
"What is that thing you hid in your pocket like that," She firmly asked me.
At first I said it was nothing, then she told me that she already saw what I put in there but she wants me to tell her what it is, and if I lied to her she'd know because she already saw it.
I was only wishing that everything was dream from the beginning and that I'd eventually wake up to reality, because I knew my mom would not spare me for trying to steal her money. Two things my mom hated was lying and stealing!
I kept mute for very long, and then brought out the money and stretched my hand towards my mom and gave it to her.
"So you've started stealing abi, inezuzi Ori abi na," She said these to me with a much frightening face.
I was only nodding in disagreement, if there was anything like super frightened, that was me.
As expected, my mom sent my sister to get the cane for her, at that point I started shedding so much tears and begging my mom to forgive me.
She knelt me down and asked me to stretch out my hands so I'll receive the strokes of cane. If my tears was measured that day, hmmm e go full bucket! I kept crying even when I haven't been flogged yet. The tears didn't stop me from getting flogged lol.
"It's either you let me flog you or I'll take you to the market square and they deal with you the way thieves are dealt with", This words from my mom frightened me even more.
I knew how thieves are dealt with in our community, Thieves are burned alive after so many beatings. I didn't want that for myself, so I begged my mom to flog me with the cane instead.
She gave me several lashes and warned me never to do such thing again. I was in a lot of pain but I knew that after that day I would never think of stealing anything again.
When the incident happened my father had travelled for work as usual and a week later he came home, and my mom still told him I was learning to become a thief. My father gave me his own lecture, I was thankful he didn't flog me too but I assured him I wasn't going to do it anymore.
My mom didn't even care that it was a very little amount of money, she said that since I started little I'd turn into a big thief too.
I was pained at heart but this reveals the vital truth:
"No discipline is sweet at first but at last it yields good fruits"
I learnt a valuable lesson about the consequences of my actions and the importance of integrity. From that day forward, I vowed to always be honest and to resist the temptation to take what doesn't belong to me. And I'm happy my mom later forgave and forgot what I did that day!
I thought I could do what others were doing and go scot-free but I was caught in the act lol.
This is my story
Cover image generated using my.prompt on playground.com
