Reflections for Mr. Right

"A man never stands as tall as when he kneels to help a child."~
Knights of Pythagoras

This is an article born out of my reflection on an idea I received from a father's day message. It was a message of huge responsibility; one of who a father ought to be. The charge of responsibility of a man for a child he has seeded is not an idea overly difficult to conceive, although there are so many shared roles and duties with mothers nowadays. For me the huge paradigm shift was the message that 'a man must choose a wife only as someone he has accepted the responsibility to father' . A man is therefore not a husband by privilege but by responsibility!

The word husband has its etymology to the old English word, hūsbōnda, which refers to a "householder". The idea of a householder particularly for people who have witnessed a lot of men superiority will turn to associate that with dominance and suppression and things that may seemingly connote a forced power for forced identities. I intend to share an extension of the original idea of fathering for children to wives. This message I believe should be the background for which any man may measure his own manhood and success. A woman can likewise see unto choosing Mr. Right if 'Mr. Rightnow' has not already been chosen. But in all, this is a message of character progression and development, one that must be worked on daily.

STRANGERS

For me, there are no my people and strangers, no bad people and good people. All people are equal for me.
Viktor Yanukovych

This statement by the Ukrainian Statesman and President is the summary of this conviction I share with you in this post. The theme of strangers came to me after my experience with three different people I was very well meaning towards but because they considered me a stranger, they will not connect and thus lost the opportunity to connect to a new person. It equally reminds me of the many people I have considered strangers and have therefore lost the opportunity as it were to connect with them.

Being in the corporate world now, I fully understand what social acquaintances are really worth. The value of teams and customer service can never be over-emphasized. I write this in perspective of love for humanity and personal branding.

I am pretty familiar with the childhood advice of 'Do not talk to strangers' because I received it quiet often. I know such upbringings have definitely had a tone on our welcoming of strangers. I do not seek to advocate for a whole sing along open all doors policy, I only write on the lines of prudence and good judgment.

Good sense will basically teach that, all the relations a person has, even of the closest ones, such were ones strangers. I know some people who are reading at this point are switching in their defenses, just before you do so fully allow me to tell you a story:

A lawyer ones asked a wise man, what it will take for somebody to be judged as righteous, innocent and worthy of praise. The wise man pointed the lawyer to the basic intent of all laws, to deal lovingly with ones neighbour. The lawyer pushing the bounds asked who then a man's neighbour was.

The wise man told a story of a man travelling from a far city who suddenly met a group of thieves. The thieves took everything he had and beat him and left him lying half dead in the middle of the street. The man in his desperate need for help heard footsteps and thanked God for sending help because the man was dressed as a priest. Unfortunately for him, his groaning did not touch the heart of the priest enough because he was so much in the 'Spirit' going to minister.

Similarly came near him one who obviously was a servant in the godly courts. The wounded man faintly screamed for attention, moaning on the ground, at least deserving of pity. But the Levite could only think of the offering he had to render at the altar, so he left the man to die in order to make time for service. The half dying man, in so much pain of both rejection and physical hurts,  gave up all hopes of ever been helped and thus retired faith, waiting for dead to cease him.

He then heard a touch on his body, struggled to open his fading eye only to see a Samaritan, one he didn't even like neither was he liked by him. Reasoning with himself among two options, either this Samaritan is sent by death to finally end his pain and misery or he is an angel from God. But he wondered if God would send such a stranger as an angel.

The long and short of the story is that, the Samaritan helps the dying man, takes him to the hospital, pays the bills, feeds him and gives him allowance for contingencies. All an act from a stranger!

At this point Jesus, who told the original story, asked the lawyer who a man's neighbour was, the Priest, the Levite or the Samaritan? This story has gone down history isle to be called The Story of the Good Samaritan. I just told my paraphrased version but the essence for me is that, the seemingly godly people were the most culpable of the stranger's phobia and therefore treated him as such because he was not their neighbours.

The next time you are tempted to write off a stranger, think of him/her among two things, he/she is either in dire need of help and looking onto you as the angel sent by God or the stranger you are rejecting is the solution and the addition that will jazz up your life unto purpose.

For those who will reason among rational lines of what if the stranger is not good enough for you, or what if they come in to hurt you or things like that, I honestly may not have an answer for you but to wish you well and pray that you are guided by prudence in all your choices to strangers, but remember 'Never distrust a person until he/she has given you enough reason to do so', for Abram received angel into his house without knowing. I guess he was only been calmly with strangers.

May we all treat each other with the respect and love we desire and most certainly deserve, Love and relationship are universal quest and need because we all are supposed to be the universal solution to loving and relating!

TO OUR COMMON HUMANITY- CHEERS

The Heart of a Mother

I seek to write of the heart of the best Mom that has ever being, most definitely, mine! She had little but gave all, she risked all to bring the best out of me. Sometimes I think about her with tears in my eyes. I even write this piece fully conscious of her infinite sacrifices and that stirs me up greatly with a profound gratitude to share for mothers.

I know without a doubt that this knowledge of my mother is no unique to me. Many across the globe can equally be grateful for angels such as mothers are. I share the heart of a mother, great lessons they teach the world:

1. A mother's heart is position to conceive. A mother does not only have a womb to conceive but a heart that anticipate for the child. I barely remember my early days before I was two but I know there was somebody who conceived my hunger, sickness and hurts. It could only take a mother to conceive what was with me even when I had no clue.
2. A mother's heart teaches. Nothing is as true of a Mom than a teacher. Noble in heart to teach the child the best way she possibly knows how. I've always known one best teacher: Mother!
3. A mother's heart sacrifices. I remember growing up to see Mama virtually give up her life for mine. No job, No personal preferences, No life of her own but mine. She gives what is in her mouth to fill my own hunger, her cloth for my nakedness. All may give for a reason but I know she gives because she is a MOTHER.
4. I have not known any hopeful heart than a mother's. This is a heart that endures nine months in hope for something she never knows, tends for it for years, all in HOPE of the best child ever born. It can only take a mother to hope and to bring the best out of a dispersed sperm cell.
5. A mothers heart is a treasury of wisdom. As a teacher she teaches but a treasury I have an ever assuring knowledge of deposits. She never runs out of good council. She saw me through my youthful day of lots of vile heart and untempered exuberance with wisdom to guide and council. She turned a gentleman out of a youthful heart. It only takes a mother to do that.
6. A heart strong enough to discipline. She never lets me go bad without correction. She straightened me on the part of discipline, a path necessary for all progress and success. As a child I hated her for than, but as a man I love her more for the courage to tamper discipline in goodwill.
7. No home for Love than Mom's heart. I have known only one place to believe and to really trust love- In Mom's Bosom. All I could say of a mother's heart is one of LOVE!

Societies only live as long as mothers live. The more we loss them the more we shatter the foundations of all humanity and life is. I wish I could sing my mom a song or perhaps write her a poem yet with the world I share her immortal lessons. Lessons never to be forgotten for a MOTHER is an angle who never dies! She lives on at least, on the hearts of the children of every generation.

LONG LIVE MAMA....

In Lowly Places

I will normally post a poem on the Poet's Diary, leaving its appreciation for the reader's own judgement. But in this post I share with the world, A message of humility and Love. A poetry with the mood and tone of a feeling of anticipation and joy, yet a prayer that the tender heart may not break. A poet from a romantic heart caught up in admiration as his ink bleeds of a jewel, 'ShANTY': enjoy the piece! Appreciation and comments welcomed...

 Such smiles certainly not there, if to find
Beauty, I’ll never cease to write, but not in such places to inspire
An angel found on the planes of service
Celestials with highness esteemed, and not of a hand amongst helps to lend
Yet there I met your smile; the smile all my life I to cherish

When the service beckoned, I to a dissert surrendered

For a heart to serve I’ve always prayed

But such heart in humiliation only to tilt
Touting I subjected myself to for tis to God’s heart I yearn
Least did I know, a twin there to find

Bodies lived distance apart though, yet with one soul

My minds have not stopped winning, and my heart not ceased to gladden

My countenance brighter and my eye ever to hope a look-upon

My eyes yet with tears wandering where you have been until such lowly lands

Leaving me to the torment of ‘aloneliness’ and the fangs of many rejections

Still waters spread amidst green pastures, yet only in valley’s found
The beauty always around that nature, breathtaking re-freshness, yea, Soothing!
Yet veiled in the base of the lowly places,
After the climbs and the sweats uphill then one may discover true beauty and nature’ best,
Hidden in lowly places!

I will never bow my head but my hands ever to raise for the discovery of my life in lowly places

I can only to God pray,

He that is The Author of all Beauty

That such as I’ve found in meekness may be the reality I’ve always searched for

That this may be the dream I’ve seen long coming

A memory always to keep of you-

One of Beauty, Charm and Serenity

Your Smile-My Love, Your Joy-My Endeavor: You, My Pursuit to Know,

That with you we may climb the worlds to change,

 For our journey down lowly isle just began!

SamOk

9/5/12:12:32pm

The Beauty of Love

"Take away love, and our earth is a tomb." - Robert Browning

The subject of love is no doubt one talked of by all the best brain ever imaginable. I believe it stands either clearly or subtly as the quest of every human heart and soul. The New Testament writer Paul places our discussion in context by summarising in 1Cor. 13:13 that, what abides, withstanding the storms is either of hope, faith or love. He proceeds to conclude on which of these virtues is greatest, without leaving it to doubt or debate-LOVE IS THE GREATEST!

Richard Bach, known for his 1970's bestsellers Jonathan Livingston Seagull, Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah, and others made an amazing statement on love, "True love stories never have endings."  I think all the writers, poets and philosophers have learnt to put the same thing about love in varying forms yet unequivocally pointing to the all Divine and beauty of love. I will try in the lines beneath to share what I have learnt of this beauty of love.

• · Love must first be found with self. The first I have learnt of the life of love is that it must be found with oneself first. Motivational speakers, preachers, shrinks, advocate, philosophers have always spoken of a message of confidence, self-esteem, self-worth, personal value, etc. All this I have learnt is the foundational beauty, LOVE MUST FIRST BE FOUND WITH SELF!

  · Love, like a muscle must be exercised if it must find its full measure. By the eyes of faith we hope and seek for the magical fairies that comes with the feeling of love but I have learnt such as is felt must be cultured to grow in an environment where it thrives. We all have great capacity to love, if only we will exercise our potential enough, for love is in the action!

  · Love loves on. The end has always been the real beginning of love; love always hikes the mountain, crosses the ocean, and endures the valleys until the dragon is killed. No dragon stands in between the knight and the princess!

  · The Language of Love is spoken is simple terms. We think of the big things to show and express Love but love is truly found in the simple genuine smile, the kind words, the warm hug, etc. The seemingly unimportant acts which can be so easily neglected speak volumes of the heart we hold to love- The real place love exists is in the corridors of simplicity and candor!
• ·  Living is an art in Loving. Lucile Aurore Duphin, the popular French Novelist and memorist known for her pseudonym, George Sand spells it well in her quote, "There is only one happiness in life, to love and to be loved". All noble acts in life are done with an enthusiasm only love can produce. Life begins with Love's beacon!

We are all born into a world, a world known very little to us at our entry, even unknown to us that such as we came was a gift of love. The love of them that bore us literally has made us who we are. The lessons from home, through school and all in life are learnt at Love's table. No better way to live life but to LOVE.

I conclude with a Saint Augustine's quote that inspires me every single time I hear it: "LOVE IS THE BEAUTY OF THE SOUL". No brighter light to shine, no perfect song to sing, no refreshing breeze to soothe than that of love. I wish and pray you love the rest of you life on earth, for all we are here to do is to love. In love is beauty such as I pray for you!

What Became of Love?

I share this with an honest feeling I can not put my hands to. It appears a blend of sorrow, loneliness, distrust, rejection, and faith all mixed up. I find it a bit strange though how such diverse and intense feeling weigh on me at this time. The question of love and love stories bear much smiles with them that experience it, so why would I write of it without the intense joy? More has been sang, written, done, taught and felt about love than perhaps any other word. All stories that abides are either entirely love stories or one with an amazing touch of love. Do I seek to recount love stories or to dream of such stories in the pages I write?

Maybe precisely so, but more importantly, to ask the question of what has become of love? The post title is all I intend to achieve; to seek to know what has become of such as is called LOVE.

The question of what love is has always produced many unique answers as there are the many that answers. One word used often, understood relatively little about, and deeply in search for but quiet denied when found. I have always wandered if it were a legend, myth or reality when we talked of love. whatever it maybe I can only as much talk about my experience with certainty and hope others share their thoughts with us.

When I was growing up, I strangely believed that, nothing such as love existed until I was proved wholly wrong by an experience of love itself. The beauty and fangs of the time made it an experience worth talking about and less open to doubts. The lesson of the experience was quiet simple, to answer my childhood question of does love exist? Yes, love does exist! But the answer left a longing for such fullness every single minute.

I am yet to meet a human being who does not want to be loved every single minute and at least to share such love with somebody as often as they could their own love for them. February has always been an interesting month giving people a good opportunity to celebrate love at least once in a while. Must love thus be constraint to a day of the year or an hour in the clock?  Will such not defy what love may truly mean?

We only recount one month after the notable valentine's day and what has become of love? Has love become mere rhetoric and play acts without any real meaning and essence? Has it become a ploy for the strong to manipulate the weak?

May God help us all to find what love indeed is and how priceless such a gem is when found. May we endure to know what love truly is and to commit to living on such pure levels. Love is immense and intense, vast and all encompassing. Love can only be God!