‘Basic’ Blessings

Two days ago I came back to my room and, in keeping with my routine, plugged my phone up to charge. It wasn’t charging. I was like, “ehhnnnn?!?” I tried manipulating the cord, it still wasn’t charging. It wasn’t till about two minutes later that I

realised that the plug had spoilt, and then I got quite upset.

It wasn’t even about the spoilt plug, it was pent up frustration from having a ‘TV laptop'(if you know you know), not having a laptop charger and having my good phone charger stolen, when exams are around the corner and I would need them to study. I remember thinking,”you know what? this is the last straw”. Maybe it sounds so random to you, maybe it is, maybe I look like a drama queen, but at that point I felt like everything was just going wrong(lol right?)

Yesterday, for some reason, I was talking with some of my friends and we started discussing about how many Nigerians are really having it bad financially. There are people who are not even able to pay for essential medical care, even when it becomes life-threatening. It’s not like they want to die, they really just don’t have the money. It’s sad, but it’s the truth.

In that moment I realised how privileged and fortunate we were. The choice to have three meals a day, have a shelter over your head and good clothes on your body seems all regular, small and ‘basic’, but there are people who are in dire poverty and having three meals a day virtually seems like a miracle.

In that moment I also felt sort of spoilt. I felt bad for fretting over minor incidents and not appreciating what I had. I was focusing on the bad, and forgetting the good things going on in my life. Is is striking a cord with you too?

How many times has something slightly inconvenient happened and had you feeling like your world was crashing down on you? It’s so easy to become all negative when any inconvenient situation arises. The thing is, the more we look at the problem the bigger it seems to us. Soon the problem becomes the main thing our minds can see, and the array of blessings that we have become a blurry background. Funny enough, look back at those times you were in such a situation. God still made a way for you, and now it looks like you were stressing over something that wasn’t even as big a deal as you thought.

Being fixed on the negative has never helped anybody, and probably never will. Truth is, there will always be something that’s not going our way, and we can choose to either sit down and sulk about how ‘sad’ our lives are, or get up and encourage ourselves by remembering all the good we have going on for us currently.

“This exam preparation is stressing me out so much”.” We’re always eating the same food every time, na wa o“. Yes these are valid complaints, but instead of letting thoughts like this dominate your mind, you can change your perspective. Getting ready for an exam is tasking obviously, but you’re in school. Thank God. You got admission. Your parents/sponsors can pay your fees. You are alive and healthy enough to be able to sit for an exam. You have passed previous exams to get you to this stage. Thank God. The menu might have too much of this or that, but thank God you can eat three times a day. Thank God that you can beat your chest in the morning that there is always food regularly. Trust me, there are people who can’t afford to do so.

Yes, some things are going wrong, I understand. But some things are also going right as well, and it won’t hurt to be grateful. Maybe you’re even doubting this in your mind as you’re reading it. Let me help you. You have a phone, you have data, you had money to use to buy data. You have an eyesight good enough to see this post. You can understand what you’re reading. Beloved, these things seem so small but are so mighty if you don’t have them.

Yesterday I had to consciously choose to not focus on my chargers or my laptop, but on the blessings I have. Food. Shelter. Clothing. My family. Studying in university. Good friends who are always willing to help. No matter how little or mundane they seem, they are a really huge deal and a privilege to experience.

I want to always see the glass as half full. I choose to always have a grateful heart, because a grateful heart will always see the good in all situations. I choose to not let obstacles push into obscurity the blessings that God has given me. I hope you choose this too.

Thank you for reading through. Sorry if this was a bit uncoordinated lol.

BTW I’m sorry for the lateness this week, clinical rotations + birthday celebration (shout out to Nae the birthday girl!!) had a girl pretty occupied today.