Monday, June 4

Tragedy

The relative peace (if we ever do have peace because its been a roller coaster of events over the last few months) of Lagos, and of Nigeria as a whole was once again shattered on the afternoon of June 3, 2012. 
Another Black Day in the history of the aviation sector of the country. Not less than 153 people, discounting ground casualty, went to sleep, and that, suddenly.

Once again, I was confronted by how fickle life is. I was, once again reminded about how ungrateful I am about my life, because just the day before, another cargo plane had crashed in Ghana, practically before my very eyes, yet, I got on another plane, a few short hours after, grouchy and sulky because I had been delayed. But I did arrived home, in one piece!

I am suddenly confronted with the carelessness with which I live my life, totally ungrateful for the things that money can't buy. Storing up the pain of betrayal, anger, unforgiving of things that had been done to me. Making no room for the joy of living and the things that make life life! In the light of this tragedy, I see that my feelings are indeed meaningless. Life is fickle, here today, gone tomorrow, no notice, no announcement, Just gone.

Perhaps, I am feeling this way because this came (once again) very close home, when I think I would never see this young lady again, I ask myself how important those things that I hold dear really are.

Do I appreciate people enough? Am I forgiving? Certainly not. What if I died in the next minute? What then? A wasted life? 

Again the question is, what happens to me when this pain of death dies? Because it most certainly will. Pain go away, to a certain degree, it does. What then? Do I revert to type? Feeling immortal, like I am very sure I would live to be 100, thus have enough time to love, appreciate, forgive. Be kind, selfless? Self deception. They say tomorrow is a promissory note. Jesus does promise we would live because He does, but the question is, how do we live?

A word is enough for the wise...or rather, I say, the 'foolish' because obviously there is no wisdom in man.

RIP to Ayoola Oluwakemi Somolu, and the over 150 people who went to sleep on that black Sunday.

Be free oh.

3 comments:

  1. When I was younger, I actually believed I was immortal; so much so that I definitely thought I was going to be a real life Elijah taken up in the whirlwind that God was going to send for me... Several debilitating tragedies later, I am a little wiser for the truth. I still believe some will not sleep until Christ comes...but I can assure you that I don't take anything for granted. Yes, I get emotional and do stupid things but that, my dear, is living your humanity and what are we if not humans? I wouldn't want to live like a zombie, having nothing to work with to reach my state of perfection according to God's plan. I will be like all the other men of old, God is going to work out the kinks - the hapless anger management, the covetous spirit, the greedy hoarder instinct - and until He makes me into the image of Christ, it won't be over (for me). I don't know how far this walk will be, but I am learning to place this scared heart in His hands, and wait for Him to call me. The Lord strengthen those who have lost loved ones, may the departed be at peace (and hopefully, believers will wait in sleep for their call to join the myriads that are going to heaven). Above all, for those like me, shaken to my roots by all this loss, may God give us the insight to hold on to Him (even if we want to run and hide from Him when things like this happen) and above all let the faith stand till the end. Amen.

    cheers

    Mary (Omo Jesu)

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  2. Thanks Mary. The last part of your comment means a lot...

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  3. Life is fickle and no matter how we often we are reminded of this, we still go through the "ungrateful/taking for granted days". May the Lord teach us to live lives of gratitude without having to experience pain/hurt.
    Lord we ask that you grant Ayoola eternal rest and we that remain, keep us focused on you till we are called to spend eternity with you face to face in Jesus name.
    We aught to learn from this, to never take for granted the safety instructions we are told before a flight takes off, when its broken fix it rather than manage it, make each day count in however little way you can. Lord strengthen and heal us/our land in Jesus name

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