Scatter lings of Wisdom

A few weeks ago after another frustrating week in the windy corner, a place that brings grown men to tears and make’s grown women want their mommies, I decided to leave for some fresh eastern air and head home to cattle country.

A home away from home, where the grass is ample and the cattle fat. Where meat cost less than an arm, and where living won’t cost you a leg. I like it for the tranquillity, far from the fast paced confusing nonsense and dirty Kandeshi’s of the windy corner. It’s a place where one can compose thoughts and devise a plan.

This time though after the congratulations and the well done son on your new job, came the sit down (don’t worry twas not a mafia sit down, nothing illegal). Usually a sit down with the parental figures make a young man anxious and nervous, my palms start to sweat and I start chanting “not another awkward sex talk, please not another one of those, I get it now!”. Fortunately it was not one of those, rather an enlightening discussion that left my head heavy. Heavy from wisdom, wisdom only the parental figures can provide wisdom that requires a period of reflection and deciphering. Wisdom that works likes four paracetamols on a headache. Let me not be selfish, I will share what I was told.

1. Know where you come from and your situation

To know where you are going you must know where you come from; the history of your past must light your future. Your head is probably heavy trying to decipher what I mean (now would be a good time to run and get a dictionary). It’s rather simple, If you have six siblings and come from a humble background, then don’t be silly and by a golf GTI with your first paycheque. As my cousin Alexander puts it “Don’t live a champagne lifestyle on a coca-cola budget”. Don’t be all paris Hilton socialite living the life and clubbing with the honey’s, but you don’t even have a little hut of your own to go sleep in at home in the village. Don’t forget who you are and where you come from, if you get lost in the things of the world then you might be lost forever (don’t catch feelings; I’m just sharing wisdom here).

2. Choose those who you associate with carefully

Life works by association, if you walk with fools than you become one eventually, congregate with great men and you will become one by association. My cousin Alexander has another funny quote “if you are an eagle don’t hang with chickens because chickens can’t fly”. Friends are only useful if they contribute to your development as a human being, if all your friends do is pull you down and make you regret your behaviour then you need to make like a primary school child and make new ones. Good friends can inspire you to do great things with your life. Toxic friends can inspire you to do very shocking things with your life. So choose wisely.

3. Respect your elders and don’t back chat (Never)

I don’t need to explain the fourth commandment to any of you. But for reference, the fourth of gods ten commandment of the Christian faith reads “respect your parents and have a long and prosperous life on earth”. Never disrespect your elders or back chat, I don’t know about you but I grew up in the world of spankings, back chatting to someone older than you is not only foolish but was a death wish (you will get beaten within an inch of your life). However, do not be trampled on because sometimes elders like to meddle. So if that’s the case then be bold, just because they are older does not give them licence to impose, stand up for yourself (Show some backbone, defend your decisions if they are worth defending). Just know where to draw the line.

4. Thank god

Most of you atheists and pseudo Christians are looking at me like “What does Filemon_Fly know about god?, dude is a scientist!”. The thing is that even before people could write they believed in a higher power, every civilization worshiped a god or ancestors. The Owambos (My tribe) had their higher power way before the missionaries introduced Christianity and white Jesus to us (excuse the sarcasm; I’m having a boondocks moment). Muslims praise Allah, Christians pray to god, some pray to Buddha, in Hindu religion there is a god for almost everything. If you believe in nothing then you will fall for everything, which is fundamentally saying whatever you believe in, even if you don’t believe in anything, be strong in your faith. Otherwise you are a lost sheep in a forest full of wolves. When all seems lost, all you will have left is faith and hope.

5. Stay away from women and alcohol

Most of the time when a young man goes to the city, especially in Africa. His mother or grandmother always advised him to stay away from two things, women and alcohol. Do we ever listen, nope! The downfall of many a young man is either sparked by alcohol abuse, liaisons with conniving women or both. It is those two things that can derail many a thought out plan. I’m not saying all women are cunning and calculating. What I am saying is that a man can never find happiness in the lies of the devil, in a drop of alcohol or the arms of a loose woman, happiness come from within. I’d advise anyone to keep their roving eye in check and not drink like a fish, it will only lead to two things; you will be financially crippled and accidentally become a father.

NB: Never put your belief above other people beliefs and display a lack of tolerance and understanding of other cultures and ways of life, wars have been fought over less. Actually wars are being fought right now as a result of that.