...Of Ascents and Descents ...

 

Many years ago, I think sometime in 2017, I performed my poem titled Christmas at a Church's Christmas Event.

When I was done, I got a standing ovation and I returned to my seat, thanking GOD for such a reception and for making me cerebrally relevant.

Afterwards at the close of the service, I was walking to my ride when someone ran after me, he said "I know you, you're PoetonicElla on Facebook," yes I replied beaming with smiles...

"I want to perform like you, can I be your student?"

Sure I replied.

"Madam PoetonicElla" , you can call me Emmanuella I politely interjected.

He smiled and continued; "you are so down to earth , I can't believe you granted me audience, I feel so comfortable"...

We are all important and special I told him, every person in GOD'S eyes is greatly essential.

He was full of gratitude as we bade each other goodbye, I was equally grateful to GOD that I could make someone smile and understand that he is a special person.

Some years later, I met someone at Ikeja City Mall where I went to pick up a few groceries.

She walked to me, and excitedly questioned; "I think I know you, I see you on TV, you anchor"...? She mentioned the program I was producing and presenting at the time.

Yes I do I replied smiling.

"Oh my!" She exclaimed, "the TV isn't fair to you at all, you look so beautiful on ground, so gorgeous"...

Oh thank You, I retorted, wishing I could find myself in another time and space.

We parted ways and I continued my shopping wondering how a person can admire someone with so much intensity.

A friend once told me that she wonders about my simplicity... "You are annoyingly down to earth," she'd say, "wetin, bask in how GOD has created you naa, make yanga small, you too serious."

I'd laugh and remind her that true beauty is in the virtuous composition of the heart and not in one's look or knowledge.

"Abeg go," she'd say.

Truth is, I wasn't always this way, but I thank GOD For where I am in this mortal journey.

I remember my struggles with anorexia, anxiety disorder, insecurity, imposter syndrome, external validation...

Those moments weren't funny because I was hardly at ease, there was always something to worry about, but today it's all different.

Today I have peace, confidence, clarity...

In one era, I was externally driven, in the other era which is my present realm, I am internally driven.

It all began when I became question driven instead of just settling with whatever was given.

I became hungry and thirsty for viable information.

I gave myself to chewing and grinding whatever came my way before I swallowed it.

I have made a lot of discoveries in this journey of mine and will yet make more and the beautiful and humbling aspect is when I hear or read about my findings from reputable sources.

I'm sometimes moved to tears in gratitude to GOD for granting little me the access to such findings but GOD is no respecter of persons, s/he who asks and is unshifting must receive.

I invested in knowledge, I still invest and will continue to invest.

Knowledge is power and ignorance isn't bliss but weakness.

One particular day, I was musing as usual when the inner voice spoke to me analyzing matter in the context of human behavior.

What are the components of matter? the voice questioned; solid, liquid and gas I replied.

The voice continued; The skies represent gas, the seas represent liquid and land represents solid.

Okay, I draggingly muttered, deeply musing about the information that visited me.

The voice continued, of the three, land is the most defined but restricted.

The skies are immeasurable, likewise the seas.

Do you know your behaviour as a human determines how far you can go with understanding and attaining heights or depths of truth?

Do you know that the lighter you are, the easier you'll fly or float? The law of gravity only pulls down presentations of weightiness.

Do you know that vices are weighty and virtues are light?

This is why any person or nation that upholds virtues will always make progress while those that uphold vices will always be stranded.

The lighter you are the easier you'd climb up a mountain and the heavier you are the faster you'd become exhausted on your journey to the summit and you'll never make it there until you've taken off all weights hindering your Ascent.

Pride, ego, unforgiveness, greed, contentions, gossip, envy... are weights that will always pull you down while humility, generousity, empathy, sympathy, inclusivity, integrity, accountability, contentment are light and will always make you fly.

People tend to measure a person's success by material acquisitions, but thieves have money don't they? The difference between a person on the right path and a person on the wrong path is that one(the right path) leads to fulfillment no matter how long it takes and the other leads to confusion.

Never judge a book by its cover.

The voice went on and on...

TBC...