CAN’T EVEN POP A BUBBLE GUM!
Ok... I don’t really know how to say this but I’ll try to say it relatively the best way I can. The ride takes more or less five minutes so kindly indulge me while it lasts. It’s pretty funny that it all started with just a flashback I had this evening - of the way I used to feel a while ago. Yes; the talentless NFA me. NFA means No Future Ambition- you know that already? Simply ignore my reiteration. So yes! That was me. Ok, permit me to take it from the beginning.
I recall…
Right from when I was in primary school (till my junior secondary school years), we (my siblings and I) used to travel down to Ibadan from Lagos to spend the long third-term break with our grandparents and cousins. We had various games we used to spend a significant part of the holidays engaging in various popularly-known local games, back then. Or should I say 'they had '? Yes... I was really bad at playing the games (Suwe, ten-ten, boju-boju, etc) that I always ended up sitting solitarily in one corner, sadly fantasizing about how cool it would be to be so good at something in particular. This always happened as a result of feeling frustrated with my failures in the games and the jests.
Quite vividly, I remember what happened in primary 4 in particular. Then, I used to be so fascinated with the popping of bubble gums - the sound and the big balloon that they form when one blows them. I didn’t quite understand how it was done and I tried really hard to master that fascinating action, but did I get the blowing part right eventually? For practically a week, I bought gums to be used in mastering the 'blowing act’, together with a classmate of mine who was an expert at it. Despite this, I still didn’t get it! Same goes for crocheting, knitting and hairstyling too. Most of my friends were good at these, but try as I could, I never got any of them right.
Primary school is over! Here comes the dramatic secondary school :( Talents up and down; right and left; forward and backwards. I had some mates that were really good at drawing; some with great storytelling skills; some nightingales; some entrancing dancers; some good fiction writers; some computer gurus; some admirable socialites/ party planners. There were 'them' and there was 'me' - who had a flair for absolutely nothing! Even when it came to that stage of filling in the choice of course column in the JAMB form in SSS3. It was only by the Grace of God that I chose Mathematics education( I was quite good at Mathematics) because and I can say that I’ve never regretted that decision. I knew deep inside me that Medicine wasn’t my calling, in contrast to the expectations of family and friends.
Now in the current scene (been really looking forward to this part because I feel pleasant about). Higher institutions - global communities where no limitations exist. Embodiments of opportunities, development and growth. Simply put, I finally overcame those things I used to feel due to my inability to do what majority of my mates found relatively easy and my talentless state - feelings of uselessness, weirdness, inferiority...(let’s leave it at that because I don’t like dwelling on those helpless feelings). The first remarkable thing that actually happened was when my roommate in 100 level tried hard to convince me that there is no one without a God-given talent. I believed her half-heartedly and rode on with the ups and downs of school life - coping with the academic workload, jacking for exams, making good and not so good grades, and meeting up with the demands of some committee I joined to feel more connected.
Along the line, the eurêka — I’ve found it moment materialised in 200lvl when I joined a press group (the main reason of joining then was to improve my grammar) and was told to write an article (this was one of the criteria used to assess new members). Despite writing it about two hours to the deadline stipulated; quite unexpectedly, I was able to come up with something that really impressed the Editor in Chief.
In essence, we all are uniquely created and gifted with special talents that sometimes, may not manifest early enough as we wished. All we need to do is love ourselves and keep doing those things that makes us happy. The sky is not the limit for anyone of us ; be it male or female. We have equal chances to do those remarkable things to make it to the top in our desired fields. Each and every of us can excel in fulfilling our ambitions and careers; to seal the deal of self-fulfilment whilst contributing positively to the society. Let’s make this one of our mantras, shall we? — “It may not be so easy but with focus and unyielding determination : if he can do it, I can. If she can do it, I can. If they can do it, I can. And if I can do it, so can you! We all can do anything we put our minds to!” — Fatimah Adetunji :)
At that moment, I realized that writing could be my hidden talent. With time and regular and consistent practice, I have become quite good at it. I hope to reach that stage of being described as a great writer, one day. This is a goal; a dream I’m not planning on backing down on. Ever!
