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Showing posts with the label Inspirational

Sight & Vision: Illusion and Mission

By Charles Offiong These are two words, whose meanings are usually literally misconstrued. In as much as they sound similar, there is a need to put them in the right perspective, so as to erase any form of ambiguity and avoid the trap of mediocrity. While listening to a programme on a primetime radio station, an analogy was made between two professions, which perfectly describe these words. Using this analogy and other examples, I will endeavour to shed some light on the similarities, differences, and importance of sight and vision. What you will be reading are as seen from my own point of view, and you may not agree with them. However, your contention does not change the fact that there is a need to clearly define or separate these two terms. According to the dictionary, sight is the ability to see or the perception or view of objects by the eyes. It can be said to be something seen or worth seeing, i.e., a spectacle. It also means having a mental view, opinion or judgment about so...

Saved by a Hair's Breadth

By Doreen Eweama Born into an affluent family, I did not lack anything I needed or wanted. I am Susan Ken, a tall, slender and fair-skinned girl. I have three siblings. I am a brilliant and beautiful twenty-one-year old, the dream child of every parent. Unlike my siblings, I never caused trouble in within and without the neighbourhood, which made my parents proud of me. I attended one of the most prestigious secondary schools in the country, and as a final year student, I was under a lot of pressure from my parents, teachers and relations. Being serious-minded, I hardly engaged in any activity that would not add any positive value to my life. After months of studying, the time we were all preparing for eventually came - the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE). Many of my mates were scared, but I drew confidence and inspiration from my mother's saying, "Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance", what I also call, 'The 5P's Escape Route From Failure'....

You May Be Down, But You Are Not Out!

By Esther Olorunshola Growing up was a miserable experience for me. My childhood days were nothing good to write about and most times, I wished I was never part of history. Living without a father nor a mother made things worse as I had to fend for myself without the help of any relatives. Ours was one small and happy family until July 19, 1995 when everything took a U-turn. I was alone with my parents in the car. We were on our way to the beach to mark my 10th birthday. I sat at the owner's corner while my mother sat close to my father. Out of excitement, probably because it was long we went to the beach, I mistakenly covered my dad's face with a cloth, and before he could uncover his face, he lost control of the steering, swerved to the bush and the rest is history. My name is Goodwill and I am a paraplegic. At age 7, I was struck by mild poliomyelitis, the condition, however, was worsened by the accident that claimed my parents' lives. My uncles saw me as a huge liabi...

If It Is To Be, It Is Up To Me!

These ten two-lettered words, which have made a deep impression in me, take me back to my years in the university. As a student, I was a keen reader of Zig Ziglar's works. I had stumbled across one of his best sellers, 'See You At The Top', and could not put it down until I devoured all the pages. So, during my mandatory national youth service in Zamfara State; when I came across 'Over The Top' (a sequel to the former title), I quickly grabbed it and literally, started chewing the pages. It was in one those pages that I came across a quote of these powerful two-lettered words. There was also a story behind the quote, which I will like to share (in my own version). So, enjoy and learn the lesson! Once upon a time, in a mountainous village, there lived an old hermit, who was renowned for his wisdom. In fact, he was acclaimed to be the wisest man in the world as at that time. In that same village, down the valley, there resided two little boys, who were in their early...