Tuesday, January 19, 2010

The Brevity of Life

"You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.  My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath!" Psalm 39: 5 
  
One day,an Uncle of the writer suddenly realised that he has become an elderly man and in a quick flash said “life is too short!”.  Ever since then I’ve been meditating over that statement and even now and then its meaning becomes clearer and clearer to me.  I related it to all the young children we started life together but who have since departed at one point or the other.  I related it to my parents who seemed to me to have  lived long, each of them spending not less than 85 years.  I related it to my self, the last born of my mother who have suddenly turned 52 years!  I was at our old farm and recalled the huge population of both young and elderly people in the community with whom we all related in the farms in the entire 60’s and I see them no more.  Then I related it to the Biblical stories of great and low men and women who have lived before us and are now remembered only by history!  Then I asked myself “where are they?  Will they ever come back? Can we still have a repeat of the old good days?” 


Out of my 52 completed years of sojourn, I laboured for 34 years consistently in the lowest as well as the highest industries. But today, in retirement, I reflected, I've become history in all those organisations!  I started life clinging to my mother, later I became independent.  I started my independent life by squatting with an uncle, then I rented a 'windowless' next-to-the-toilet boys quarter at the remote quarters of Balogun Street, Oshodi, from there I migrated to Mafoluku, then to Orile Iganmu, then to Ijeshatedo then to Iba then to Isolo then to Gbagada then completely out of Lagos as a Landlord!  Then I wrote the account of my life titled Better Tomorrow and gave it to humanity to read so they can learn of the goodness of God and be encouraged to paddle to determinedly paddle the canoes of their life.  Gradually, I thought about the vanity of life and considered what next should I do - unite my family to Christ and to dedicate my entire days to God! I'm on that journey, every other activity is part-time! 


I needed education.  Day and night I laboured. God crowned all my efforts with good success.  A primary six school certificate holder, became a Graduate, then ended up being a member of the prestigious Nigerian Bar Association!  


But alas! All that is history.  Yet, no matter how long we live, we shall all ‘disappear’ one day.  Life is truly brief.  We need to just try to moderately enjoy ourselves in the fear of the Lord during our own 'brief moment' in it.  Food for thought!  Life is but a shadow!




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