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Friday, October 22, 2010

The World Owes You Nothing

This title simply popped out from a lively conversation I was having with some friends in the beautifully preserved grounds of Grailland, Iju Hills, Lagos Nigeria; and immediately it struck a chord within my being that this is one aspect of knowledge humanity needs now. I say so because wherever you look, there is this steady clamour or protestation, especially in the so called advanced countries of the world, for what the protesters feel they ought to be given, ‘as of right’ from their government, society, family, etc. Sometimes violence is employed to ‘drive home’ the point. When one need is met, another arises immediately, seeking also to be met.

The protester sees himself as the responsibility of the other person or authority. As a child, he is the responsibility of his parents; and they must cater for every need of his, and must even take care of him as an adult, putting aside sufficient personal earnings and assets to take care of him. Where his parents stopped, the community, government and the world at large, must take over. Some governments also must give scholarships for studies, or they will be voted out. He goes about with the mindset that the world owes him something.

Does the world owe you anything? What, if one may ask? Well, it could be argued that the world owes you habitation space, and enough room for the pursuit and realisation of your lofty dreams in life. But haven’t these already been afforded you?

You are already born into a world where the omnipotence and omniscience of The Creator has provided us a natural order which ensures that you have abundance of water, land, air and fire; being the four basic elements of Nature. This abundance is of such immeasurable description that no one individual or a people can exhaust it. We are also all born with certain unique intrinsic ability or talent; each person so unique and different in his/her endowment that no one can complain of not being considered. Of the billions of human beings on earth, no two are the same up to the minutest detail of the finger prints. This is also how each person’s potential or talent is uniquely different from the next person. The good news is that creation and our world are programmed to accommodate all of these individual aspirations.

With such monumental opportunities, it then becomes a ridiculous reality to see persons carrying on with the attitude and conduct suggesting that the world owes them something. Usually they also convey this in their personal relationships, where always their focus is on what they stand to gain and receive rather than what they intend to give or offer. Many wars are fought, and many relationships aborted mainly because the parties were only interested in ‘taking’, ‘taking’ and ‘taking’. Indeed I recall the saying that ‘you will never see a quarrel which originated because a person wanted to give something of value to another; all wars only arise from seeking to take and take’.

The world and mother earth owe us nothing. All that we need from her have already been offered us in abundance. We only need to explore, exploit and utilise these resources to the utmost of our ability. Our parents also only need to guide us through child growth and development; and also give us good education. Thereafter, as adolescent youth, each person should look inwards and harness the innate potentials he or she possesses.

Where the opportunity for scholarships is given, such should be taken with an attitude of gratitude and a readiness to give or do something in return, after the studies to create a necessary balance.

All remarkable achievements that moved mankind to great heights were originated by individual persons and not necessarily government or group of persons. It took an individual to give us electricity, motor car, telephone, and the computer, to mention just these few. If these persons had waited for government or for the world to come to a unanimous decision and action, we probably would not have these milestone discoveries today.

Creation is ordered through the Will of The Almighty God in such a way that it gives of its abundance and blessings to those who give something in exchange. This is called the spiritual law of ‘sowing and reaping’. To those who are able to sow in terms of personal efforts in life, creation usually gives back to them in multiples of harvests. Those who only desire to take and receive, usually end up in misery and poverty. They are defying the law of balance in nature, and therefore usually end up heartbroken and in eventual penury.

We have to change the perception of expectations from the world, to voluntary and joyful giving of ourselves and our talents. There is also no one who is so poor that he or she has nothing to give to others and to his environment. It could be wise counselling, personal participation, and financial support, if necessary. That way we shall trigger into action the perfect Divine mechanism of release of blessings. We would then also be participating in the expansion of world space and human achievements. I wish you the inner joy of fulfilment.

IkeChukwu Unegbe

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