Happy Independence day compatriots. Trust you are great, its been a while, i ve been hooked up with a whole lot lately, but its all for good. I was looking for one of my write ups to edit and put up for this month being our national birth month. But while checking my achieves, i came across a note i had posted earlier, but reading it all over again made me feel like sharing it again as it captures what was/is on my mind to share.
So i titled it : The man in the Mirror. If you want to see Nigeria transform into a great nation in all ramifications, it all begins with man in the mirror, and that man is you. You have to lead the CHANGE!
While reading one of my role model’s book- Winning with people -John Maxwell. I came across something that resonates with me. He said that if I want to win with people, make a difference, that I need to examine myself first-the first person I must change is my self.
“If I ever think I’ve finished growing, then I’m in trouble” Maxwell wrote. Anyways one remarkable story he shared in the book reads:
In the crypts of Westminster Abbey, the following words were written on the tomb of an Anglican bishop who lived in the eleventh century:
“When I was young and free my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world. As I grew older and wiser, I discovered the world would not change, so I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country. But it, too, seemed immovable. As I grew in my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing only my family, those closest to me, but alas, they would have none of it. And now as I lie on my deathbed, I suddenly realized: If I had only changed my self first, then by example I would have changed my family. From their inspiration and encouragement, I would then have been able to better my country and, who knows; I may have even changed my world.”
The bottom line here is that change begins with us. If you become a better you, you will then be able to encourage someone out there to become a better person as well, and it grows that way. We are naturally quick at judging people around without examining ourselves first. If you must make a difference in this world, you must take responsibility.
I was tempted to throw a used recharge card on the road few days back, but on a second thought, I felt I would be contravening what I have always preached against, I thought that if I throw this on the road, and some other person does that and another person does the same thing, everywhere will be obviously littered with dirt. I would have contributed to the nuisance we all are trying to curb. So I decided to keep the used card and trashed it on getting home.
Don’t think that, that seemingly little ‘good’ you are doing to keep our environment clean by not littering the environment with dirt is insignificant, if everybody will do the little within our powers we will achieve much and by so doing we would have made a significant impact in the lives of people and our country as well.
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY NIGERIA!
Change begins with you!
