Features
Never ever give up
Many years ago, a young athlete crouched poised in the starting blocks at the beginning of the high hurdles competition. Behind him was a good part of his lifetime spent in dreaming, training, working, planning and building for this moment. Ahead of him was a chance for the highest of all trophies, an Olympic gold medal. At the gun he shot out of the blocks and streaked down the track. But he misjudged a hurdle, fell, and in a fraction of a second the dream of a lifetime slipped out of his grasp.
He was asked many times the obvious question, “Was it worth it?” Always his answer was the same, “Yes. It isn’t how many times you fall in this life that counts, it’s how many times you get up.”
Thus, it is with each of us. None of us is so talented and skilled that we will accomplish all our dreams without skinned knees, bumped noses, or occasionally falling flat on our faces. If we go through this life with no failures, it will mean simply that we set our goals too low.
One of history’s great examples of tenacity and perseverance is Winston Churchill. When England was on its knees, and most of the free world was reeling from the blows of the Nazi war machine, Churchill hurled his famous challenge to Hitler. Tough as an old English bulldog he stood before the House of Commons and thundered, “…we shall never surrender.” And they never did.
The same principle holds true whether we are defending a nation or building a life. It is the making, not the having; it is the trip not the destination; it is the next pinnacle beyond the one on which we stand that gives life its zest and gives promise to tomorrow.
A few years ago, a psychology professor at the University of Pennsylvania studied the lives of National Spelling Bee finalists. She wanted to find out how they reached this significant accomplishment. Many people assume that they are just smarter than their peers. But the researcher found in these young people a trait more important than intelligence: she found tenacity. She writes: “The finalists are willing to forgo the immediate gratification of watching TV or texting friends so they can spend hours and do the tedious and merciless … work. They write out thousands of flashcards with words and definitions and memorise them.” These teens succeed because they are willing to resist the tugs and pulls of idleness and ease. With the encouragement of supportive parents, they just work harder and never give up.
In the process, they likely discover an important truth: the thrill of victory comes not necessarily from winning, but from doing our best, giving our all, and enduring to the end. On the other hand, the agony of defeat comes not so much from losing, but from quitting.
The same applies to any worthwhile goal—whether it’s completing a five kilometre or run, graduating from the University or vocational school, writing a book, composing a song, or raising a strong family; all these take tenacity, the willpower to see it through to the end. That “end” may be different from what we envisioned, and it may change over time, but the only way to get there is with tenacity.
The root of the word tenacity is a Latin word that means “to hold fast.” And sometimes, holding fast to our goals and dreams may mean letting go of less important pursuits. But it does not feel like a sacrifice, because even if we never win a spelling bee, we can experience the thrill of victory if we have the tenacity to never give up.
And the greatest of all the gifts of God to us is the promise that those tomorrows can go on forever; that growth and continual climbing can be ours, and with them the ever-enlarging vistas and the joy that comes with accomplishment. So, when life is difficult and dreams are far distant, be assured that if they are good and worthy, they will come to pass even if it takes some portion of eternity.
By: Samuel Enos Eghan
One of the issues we have been grappling with as a nation is corruption, and it has had such a devastating effect on our national development. I have been convinced that until morality becomes the foundation upon which our governance system is built, we can never go forward as a nation.
Our traditional practices, which have shaped our cultural beliefs, have always espoused values that have kept us along the straight and the narrow and have preserved our societies since ancient times.
These are values that frown on negative habits like stealing, cheating, greediness, selfishness, etc. Our grandparents have told us stories of societies where stealing was regarded as so shameful that offenders, when caught, have on a number of instances committed suicide.
In fact, my mother told me of a story where a man who was living in the same village as her mother (my grandmother), after having been caught stealing a neighbour’s cockerel, out of shame committed suicide on a mango tree. Those were the days that shameful acts were an abomination.
Tegare worship, a traditional spiritual worship during which the spirit possesses the Tegare Priest and begins to reveal secrets, was one of the means by which the society upheld African values in the days of my grandmother and the early childhood days of my mother.
Those were the days when the fear of being killed by Tegare prevented people from engaging in anti-social vices. These days, people sleeping with other people’s wives are not uncommon.
These wrongful behaviour was not countenanced at all by Tegare. One was likely going to lose his life on days that Tegare operates, and so unhealthy habits like coveting your neighbour’s wife was a taboo.
Stealing of other people’s farm produce, for instance, could mean certain death or incapacitation of the whole or part of the body in the full glare of everybody. People realised that there were consequences for wrongdoing, and this went a long way to motivate the society to adhere to right values.
Imagine a President being sworn into office and whoever administers the oath says, “Please say this after me: I, Mr. …., do solemnly swear by God, the spirits of my ancestors and the spirits ruling in Ghana, that should I engage in corrupt acts, may I and my family become crippled, may madness become entrenched in my family, may incurable sicknesses and diseases be my portion and that of my family, both immediate and extended.”
Can you imagine a situation where a few weeks afterwards the President goes to engage in corrupt acts and we hear of his sudden demise or incapacitation and confessing that he engaged in corrupt acts before passing or before the incapacitation—and the effect it will have on his successor? I believe we have to critically examine this option to curb corruption.
My grandmother gave me an eyewitness account of one such encounter where a woman died instantly after the Tegare Priest had revealed a wrong attitude she had displayed during the performance on one of the days scheduled for Tegare spirit manifestation.
According to her story, the Priest, after he had been possessed by the spirit, declared that for what the woman had done, he would not forgive her and that he would kill. Instantly, according to my grandmother, the lady fell down suddenly and she died—just like what happened to Ananias and his wife Sapphira in Acts Chapter 5.
NB: ‘CHANGE KOTOKA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO KOFI BAAKO
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
Emotional distortions can indeed have a profound impact on an individual’s mental health and well-being. These distortions can lead to a range of negative consequences, including anxiety, depression, and impaired relationships.
Emotional surgery is a therapeutic approach that aims to address and heal emotional wounds, traumas, and blockages. This approach recognises that emotional pain can have a profound impact on an individual’s quality of life and seeks to provide a comprehensive and compassionate approach to healing.
How emotional surgery can help
Emotional surgery can help individuals:
Identify and challenge negative thought patterns: By becoming aware of emotional distortions, individuals can learn to challenge and reframe negative thoughts.
Develop greater emotional resilience: Emotional surgery can help individuals develop the skills and strategies needed to manage their emotions and respond to challenging situations.
Improve relationships: By addressing emotional wounds and promoting emotional well-being, individuals can develop more positive and healthy relationships with others.
The benefits of emotional surgery
The benefits of emotional surgery can include:
Improved mental health outcomes: Emotional surgery can help individuals reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Enhanced relationships: Emotional surgery can help individuals develop more positive and healthy relationships with others.
Increased self-awareness: Emotional surgery can help individuals develop a deeper understanding of themselves and their emotions.
A path towards healing
Emotional surgery offers a promising approach to addressing emotional distortions and promoting emotional well-being. By acknowledging the impact of emotional pain and seeking to provide a comprehensive and compassionate approach to healing, individuals can take the first step towards recovery and improved mental health.
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
BY ROBERT EKOW GRIMMOND-THOMPSON
