"Hello, is this Kingsley? I need to speak to you urgently". "Yeah speaking but could you call in an hour? Kinda busy now". "Sorry sir but I don't have an hour, I'll be long gone by then". "Pardon, I didn't quite get the last part, what do you mean by long gone? "You heard me right sir, I intend commiting suicide as soon as I end this call, I just felt I needed to talk to someone before I do this, you see I'm tired of this life. Everything I try my hands on never succeds, this has been my story for seventeen years. Nothing works, I mean NOTHING. I've tried different jobs no results, no one including my family wants to set eyes on me anymore.
This last project was the back breaker. I went into it with hope believing my fortunes were going to change, initially there was a ray of hope, things were actually looking up but alas, the same story again! Sir, I'm not doing this anymore! "Sorry, you never told me your name". "Rick sir". "Okay Rick, how patient are you whenever you embark on any new plan, idea, project or goal?" "Sir, if I wait and I don't see results soon I get fed up and I try something else". "Hmm..Rick, there's a plant called the Bamboo, I'm sure you've heard of it... "yes sir". Good, do you know that the growth of the bamboo remains a mystery? Like any plant it requires nurturing- water, sunshine, fertile soil etc. In its first year of being planted there are no visible signs of activity. In the second year again no growth, same with the third and fourth years.
Finally in the fifth year a miracle occurs! Growth! And what growth - Eighty feet in six weeks! What happened all this while? It was developing a root system strong enough to support it's potential for outward growth. If it hadn't developed this foundation it could not have sustained it's life as it grew. Same in life - people who PATIENTLY toil towards worthwhile dreams and goals, building strong character while overcoming adversity and challenges grow the strong internal foundation to handle success while get rich quickers and lottery winners usually are unable to sustain unearned sudden wealth.
It's usually slow to show any progress, it's frustrating and unrewarding at times but it's worth it if we can be patient and persistent. Can we stay focused and continue to believe in what we are doing even when we don't see immediate results? Rick I think it's time we reflect on this old poem of over a hundred years ago by Henry Wadsworth
'The heights by great men reached and kept, were not attained by sudden flight, But while their companions slept, toiled ever upward through the night ". That's all I can say for now Rick. "Sir, you've just saved a life!" (Soft chuckle from me) "Bye sir! "
