< a good day to declare mental independence >

I’m Americanophile. As in, I greatly admire the United States of America – and publicly so. By the way, I really like how they name things. Today, for instance, July 4, America’s Independence Day, is also officially called “The Fourth of July” or “July 4th.” Just like June 19, the yearly commemoration of the day in 1865 when the last batch of slaves in Texas received the news of the freedom Lincoln won them in the Civil War, is also just called “Juneteenth.”

So, on July 4, 1776, exactly 246 years, the then 13 colonies comprising the United States of America adopted the Declaration of Independence, the historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. Declaring independence from Great Britain was also a declaration of war against the most powerful force at the time, one that lasted until the Treaty of Paris of September 3, 1783. Do the math: 7 years!

Around here, Nigeria, we quite can’t relate to that sort of independence, as ours was handed us on October 1, 1960, as an act of Her Majesty’s magnanimity. While Balewa and Zik wined and dined with Princess Alexandra of Kent, Queen Elizabeth II’s first cousin who represented the British Crown, they probably were too carried away to realize that there’s always a string that continues to bind you with whoever served you freedom on a platter of gold. You never really break up with them.

The freedom to think for oneself, to give yourself a real chance at self-determination, almost never comes without a form of fight. And mental freedom is the priciest gift you can give yourself in a society and time where social media and some so-called thought leaders and blind religious guides are luring you to adopt patterns of thinking that only serve their ulterior motives.

In more ways than one, the American Revolution appears to be the best thing to have happened to the modern world, as it translated the human socio-political experience from the hitherto widespread monarchical system to the different expressions of democracy we now enjoy. I mean, immediately following was the French Revolution of 1789, only 6 years after Britain and America met in their capital, Paris, to finally agree to part ways.

While we join our American friends to celebrate their independence and the possibility of true self-governance it resounded across the globe, may we remember not to forget to grant ourselves mental independence, at the least.

< what you don’t get to see after a rocket takes off >

When we say something is not rocket science, we actually, humorously mean the said thing is not difficult to understand, not as difficult as building and launching a rocket. To say the least, rocket science is so complicated that it’s taken only 11 of 195 countries of the world to succeed at it.

The big boys league, you know: US, Russia, China, India, France, India, Israel, Iran, North Korea, Ukraine and the UK. And, of course, one man! The crazy Elon Musk. A couple of days ago, May 30, 2020 to be precise, Musk’s SpaceX did a groundbreaking launch for NASA. And we’re proud of him.

While the world watched NASA’s “Crew Dragon” takeoff aboard SpaceX’s “Falcon 9” from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center, there was something very few people got to find out later: recovery of the booster. By the way, all the lengthy stuff you see being shot into the sky from the launchpad isn’t what is being sent into space. How it works is that a rocket booster is attached “to augment the space vehicle’s takeoff thrust and payload capability.”

After successfully helping the rocket escape earth’s gravitational pull, it seperates from the main rocket and returns back to earth, usually landing on a ship stationed in the Atlantic, from where it is recovered for future use.

By the way, “Writing Expo 2.0” promises to be your writing booster – like the rocket booster. The goal is to support you pull through whatever is keeping you from realizing your writing goals. Signing up wouldn’t mean you don’t already know how to write; it may just mean that you wish to write better than pass exams and file work-related reports. What about that book you’ve been dying to write? What about slaying on social media by the quality of your write ups? Or, ain’t you thrilled by this piece of awesomeness?

Your No.1 fan,
Cornel

< we can’t always know >

I think the worst crime against charity is ingratitude. And so, it’s become a point of duty for me that no kindness done me – and there’s no such thing as ‘little’ – goes ‘unthanked.’ And I can be annoyingly grateful. That point where you begin to wonder whether what you did was that much. Yes, it was! Or, is it your much?

Until this morning… I learnt that we’re just too limited to exhaust the bounds of gratitude; we can’t know every instance of kindness people show us. Gist: An undergrad classmate, a great friend with whom I’d run business things in Nsukka those years, took delivery of his copy of “Thinking Differently II” and promised to do the needful. He actually put a date to it, May 29. Yesterday, right?

Of course, there could have been reasons why he didn’t get to keep his word. Perhaps salary delays, maybe keeping the promise depended on another person keeping theirs. Sadly, none was the case, given that he actually did keep his word. Just that there was no alert. Unlike Sterling, there was neither a text nor an email to that effect. And, not being my regular account, nothing would’ve made me check account balance. I just couldn’t have known.

Except by intuition. While on morning walkout today, I felt a strong urge to, unlike me, call him to know why he didn’t keep his word. Since it’d naturally be a discomforting conversation, I worked out a comic way of asking. Old buddies understand, after all. Only to find that he actually did part with a good percentage of his salary for me. And I just couldn’t have known had I not asked.

Lesson for him: I wonder how he’d have felt when not even as much as a word of acknowledgement came from me. Not even a thank you. Unlike Cornel, he must have thought. After our conversation, I believe he’d have learnt by now that sometimes people just don’t know what we’ve done for them – no matter how clearly it appears they should’ve known. I’m proof of this. I didn’t know. And wouldn’t have known for a long time.

Lesson for me: I did feel terrible for not having acknowledged, and appreciated, such a kind gesture. But how could I have known? My bank’s technology screw up rubbed off on me – and I’ve learnt that that’s fine. I should make peace with the fact that things that go wrong mustn’t be anyone’s fault. Shit happens. Period.

Lesson for you: It’s up to you to work that out. But don’t miss this: Even as you read this piece, someone, somewhere, somehow, is thinking godly thoughts about you, speaking kindly of you, planning how to surprise you with goodies… And so, as Scriptures say, “We must be continually grateful.”

Lest I forget to add, the money don finish. I use am buy something.

Your No.1 fan,
Cornel

< people are being the human beings they are >

Why is this rapture Christian preachers keep saying will happen soon taking forever? As soon as possible, wouldn’t be a bad idea. At least, the Christian heaven promises to be forever, painless, and drama-free; we get to spend eternity prostrating before the “Lamb who sits on the throne,” making music with timbrel and harp. I mean, our friends of the other faith get to chill with the virgins. Until then, we are where we are: earth.

While we hang on here, we’re sure to remain subject to the terms and conditions that apply around here, key among which is the fact that we must put up with other people – like us. Imagine a world where over 7 billion people are your exact replica. But that’s only one view. Also imagine that the said over 7 billion people, who are your exact replica, from the earlier instance, also, at the same time, differ from you in varying degrees, as much as some of them being your exact opposite.

Complicated, isn’t it? But it is simply what it is, accounting for why getting along with other people is such a big deal. You think you know them and suddenly you don’t know them anymore; you’re head over heels for them and suddenly they don’t move you anymore. And you’re wondering what this drama called life is really about.

See, the thing is that being a human being is hard labour. We all want the same – as well as different – things. We run on both reason and instinct – and they sometimes conflict. We’re wired to put ourselves first, and get to do whatever it takes to stay alive – at the expense of whomever or whatever. We try to be virtuous and aspire to high moral standards but end up catching ourselves drifting towards viciousness and loose living. Our brother Paul knew what’s up: “I don’t do the good I want to do; I do the evil I don’t want to do” (Romans 7:19).

You want to be happy in this world? Just never forget that people will always be people. They sometimes don’t even know what’s doing them; we just catch ourselves being stupid. Don’t expect too much from people. They simply can’t afford it. And I hope they also know enough to not expect too much from you. You can’t afford it either. When the chips are down, we’re all usually the same. TuBaba was damn right: “No body holy pass.” If you claim say you holy pass, I hope you holy pass Elijah sha.

Your No.1 fan,
Cornel

< you’ve no idea what you can’t see >

I’ll be demonstrating to participants of my forthcoming “Writing Expo 2.0” how every good writing is backbreaking work. It promises to be game-changing and I think you should sign up – or lend someone a helping hand (I’m just a private message away).

Now, much of what gets in the way of good writing is in the eyes. You think you know what you’ve done until you reread your stuff to find the dog’s breakfast you’d made of everything, genuinely shocked at how the errors made it through and how you’d allowed such humiliating omissions pass. Even after going your work through and through, you still get to embarrass your ancestors by what you eventually turned out. Poor eyes there!

“Windows to the soul” we call the eyes, right? And we keep getting people sneak into our souls by rigging our sense of sight. We call it “packaging,” don’t we? You go lover-hunting, for instance, and what you’re on the look out for is just “tall,” “dark,” and “handsome,” forgetting that “tall,” “dark” and “handsome” say nothing about the real deal, character. You go scouting for employees and your first port of call is CV looks, turning a blind eye to such sterling qualities as humaneness and teachability.

Don’t get it twisted, though. Because life is what it is, being that people are head over heels for packaging, give it to them all you can afford. But when it comes you, when you’re the one at the receiving end, endeavour to “package-proof” yourself. Ensure that people don’t ‘sneak’ into your soul through those weak eyes. Yes, it’s a great CV, but don’t be carried away by aesthetics; have them prove their mettle before taking the hiring decision. Yes, he looks great or she’s breathtaking, but ensure you don’t get swept off your feet; ask real questions.

Whatever you do, don’t let packaging fool you. Give it to them to stand a chance, but see through them when they give it to you.

Your No.1 fan,
Cornel