Who conceived the dependency culture of our era? When did it
become the norm that we must accommodate the world around us as we process our
imaginations? Where has a person ever been successful in the pursuit of a goal
while following all the instructions of men?
It is no doubt that we form bonds in the course of our lives
that might be social, economic, political, religious, emotional or psychological.
We bind our own minds into thinking cautiously before taking decisions.
Oftentimes, a government does or refrains from doing something because it is
threatened with economic and political sanctions. A spouse remains in an
abusive relationship because of the emotional and psychological dependency
developed. A religious man adjusts his behaviour when among fellow believers
for fear of being judged ungodly.
In our daily life, we are ever so conscious
of our surroundings. We do not desire to hurt those we love so we avoid doing
what they dislike. We hate to be ‘judged’ so we alter our perceptions and deeds
to fit to situations accordingly.
Most of the time, it is easier for us to escape the snares
of distant acquaintances and people that do not directly have an impact over
our lives. It is not such a great deal if we dismiss the observations of a
person we randomly came across on the streets or a person that will never have
any direct influence over us. It becomes problematic when it is someone close
to us. We would not dare go against our families and friends, our teachers or our
religious leaders… We would rather do as they say than go as we think. We are
never ready to challenge the logics of those who influence our lives directly.
And this is exactly why so many eagles lay in chicken yards not knowing they
have wings to soar through the highest skies.
As much as we must be considerate of other people’s views
and beliefs, it must never be so as to imprison our own. A mother might firmly
resist the idea of her child going abroad to further his studies but, as Camare
Laye once wrote about his own mother, it might simply be because she dreads the
idea that her child will have to face the unknown alone.
A friend might oppose
our choice of a spouse but it might simply be because they wanted that person
to marry them instead. A husband might not accept that his wife goes on a
business trip but that might only be because he thinks her to be the most
beautiful and fears that another man sets eyes on her.
In all scenarios, giving
up on what we believe to satisfy those we care about means we will never be able
to attain personal success and satisfaction in our own life. As much as we feel
proud when our direct circle of friends and family are happy with our deeds, we
must never forget that most of the time the majority of them will not
appreciate the value of our decisions and visions. And this applies to both the natural and spiritual realms.
In today’s world where everything is ever so centred around consent
and approval, it is important to appreciate that we do not always need approval
from human beings in order to set on our goals. To the serious minds whose
hearts burn to go beyond the conventions and norms, life is not a status shared
on Facebook or Twitter or Instagram.
Life is not a social media platform where
we can post our experiences and dreams and only allow people to like them
otherwise we block them. It is important that we distinguish between what is
real and what is virtual. In the platform of life, we have likes and dislikes
buttons. People are allowed to agree or disagree.
It is not to say that we must always dismiss every feedback
that does not concord with our vision. No. It is only by reflecting silently on
what is said elsewhere that we come to terms with whether or not we deeply
desire to see our dream come to fruition. It is only by listening to the pros
and cons according to others’ points of view that we decide whether our own
logic weighs in the scale.
What is
important is to understand that our father’s vision was given to him and him
alone. It was his personal goal and he must live his entire life pursuing and
achieving that goal.
Our own vision, likewise, is ours alone. We might well
explain its ups and downs till tomorrow and the next day but nobody will ever
understand it better than ourselves; they were not called for that particular
task.
The people we hold most dear to our heart will sometimes become a burden
too heavy on us. Our desire to please them will keep us on the ground and we
will fail to fly high. Our constant fear of not being in accordance with their
beliefs will be a curse that will prevent us from achieving our personal goal.
We must therefore be aware of the singularity of each call
and understand that an eagle who does not rid itself of unnecessary feathers
will fail to discover the wonders beyond blue skies. So long as we are
persuaded that the vision we hold dear to our soul is in accordance with our
divine destiny, we must not strive for anyone’s consent.
Great minds that this
world has known were burnt to the stake, imprisoned, cast away in mental
hospitals. Few saw their work being given the value they deserved while still
alive. Many that we call geniuses today; ideas that are the very foundation of
our societies today were dismissed as a fool’s tale when they were first
expressed. It is only in persevering that the boldness of these perceptions
became appreciated.
It might take centuries for anyone to realise just how
great an idea we had. It might not be decades until a book we published
attracts the right attention. But what does it matter? We would have
nevertheless achieved our personal goal. Our personal goal was never to manage
to align everybody behind us. Rather, it was to give life to the embryo that
was deposited in our mind. Whether they agree or disagree, it does not matter
that they see blue what we see red. Time always rewards the patient and one day
the stars will shine on a work that endured critics and opposition.
