Over these few years that I have been blessed to interact with men and women of renown and the humblest and simplest individuals around us. One thing that has struck me is how we each need each other in this globalized and interconnected world. We can’t possibly go it alone any more or act as others who ”try to fake it till they make it”!
I can trace back all my success and opportunities to knowing the right person at the right time. For example, after finishing college the first job that I landed, however, simple it was was through a former colleague and friend. She was like, ” Andrew, there’s an opportunity here and come and meet our supervisor” God bless her soul for doing that because that was where I gained excellent work experience that has served me so well up to this stage in my life.
I often can’t seem to understand why one person believes they are better than the next. Bosses sometimes demean their employees by threatening them with a warning letter or with an attitude that if it’s not because you work for me- your kids wouldn’t be able to attend school or you would not be able to pay rent or afford to buy lunch… blah blah till doomsday. Forgetting that it is only one person alone that can cut away the oxygen from us and take us to another permanent slumber. So, wherever you are in your life, whatever your vocation please treat everyone around you will decency and respect. Give out without ever expecting anything in return and someday you will notice that hand of mercy extended towards you in your greatest hour of need.
I still remember one experience that my late Paps’ taught me. At the time I had taken a contract for 3 months to work in Kendu Bay as a data collector and we have traveled all night with my colleague having arrived very late with no-where to stay and not having any contacts in this small town. It was at this moment that the thought raced through my mind to call my Dad. I called him and explained our predicament, he listened carefully and gave sound advice that we should look for a hotel that his high school classmate owned. We took his advice and started asking the security officers about it. Suddenly, we found the hotel, approached the reception and sought audience with the owner. He wasn’t in but I was allowed to speak to him.
I mentioned my name and the name of my Dad and as soon as I did so he gave immediate orders to his manager to prepare a room for the two of us. He spoke very fondly of my father and the good relationship they had while in school. Please remember, had we not received that piece of advice from my Dad and had he not developed a positive relationship with that hotel owner those many years back- we would have slept out in the cold. Life can be extremely challenging but don’t step on people to get to your destination but allow people to lift you so that we all get where we want to go!