WAIT NO LONGER

Success belongs to that person that understands how to do. I mean that person that knows how to take the bull by the horn without wasting anytime at all. That person that understands how to do what should be done and is ready to do it NOW. That person who does not put things off in the name of NEXT TIME. Because from my own findings I have discovered that there is nothing that keeps a person down at a spot than “I will do it tomorrow or the next day.” It is called procrastination. Procrastination drains our ability to succeed. Because it keeps us from doing what needs to be done, when it is supposed to be done. A wise man said “procrastination is a thief of time.” And this is very true. Procrastination stole the time of many parents. It stole the time of many people who are roaming our streets and path ways, begging for alms. And it is still stealing the time of so many young people today.

When I look around and see old men who are engaged in things like truck pushing, Motor cycle riding (Okada) or who act as gate men and other hard and tedious jobs, I always ask myself; why are they doing this now? Is it because they were once well-to-do but situation turned around and things became bad or is it because they fail to do what they are supposed to do at a particular point when they were in their young age? Are they into this because their parents were not able to train them in something better? Or is it because they lost TIME to PROCRASTINATION? These questions most times push me into action because one thing I dread so much as a person is living a sympathetic life when I will be in my 60s or 70s.

One day I was invited by a church in Lagos for their thanksgiving service. I got to the church late because I had another engagement somewhere else. So when I got to the venue, I stood outside not wanting to draw attention because I have been to the church about two times or more (I can’t remember now) as a guest speaker. As I was outside waiting for one of the Usher to get me somewhere to sit at the back. Something that brought tears to eyes happen. One old man who would be either in his late 60s or early 70s walked up to me and greeted me. I responded with a broad smile. He said, “my son I know that you don’t know me.” I was quiet and still smiling because someone who is in what I call “speaking business” can never know all those that know him or her. He continued, “my son do you know that at my age I practice those things you taught us when you came here the last time. They are what I am putting into practice now and they are helping me. I wish I had known them when I was younger, I would have been greater than what I am now.” All the while I was smiling but after the last line of his words, smile was drain off my lips. Because something pierced my heart and fear gripped me. Fear gripped me because one thing that is hunting many old people today is what they could have done when they were young that they didn’t do. Not because there were no opportunity but because something that is less importance took away their time.

Even today there are many people who crying about unemployment that knows within themselves that the reason why they are unemployed and even unemployable is because they played away their time in school. Or that they failed to learn a particular skill that would have pushed them forward. The good news is that if you start today, you didn’t start late. There is no reason to allow regret of what you failed to do to keep you in chains. You can stand up now and start something, even if you can’t conclude it before your death or transfer, someone or whoever that concludes it will never tell the story of how it started without mentioning your name.

I have discovered that when someone is young, the person thinks that all the time in this world belongs to him or her. Most youths do not know that there is no time at all. Many young people are chasing shadows thinking that they are running after something tangible. Many youths live in what I call “optical illusion.” Following a road that leads to nowhere. My prayer for myself and every young person out there is this; may we never live to regret what we didn’t do which we could have done when we grow old. Amen.

Jesus Christ said, “I must work the work of Him that sent me while it is day.” He said this because He understood that one day ones light would be turned off. Some life would turn off by age, some by transfer others by marriage. There are things which If you don’t do this year by next year you can’t try it because your mates would have gone far above you. There are some things which if you don’t do now, once you get married, you can’t do them anymore. So please before night of any type falls around you, wait no longer, do what need to be done now.

Someone said, “today is my tomorrow, to take control and seize every opportunity.” I will also love for you to say the same thing. if you turn today into your tomorrow, I promise you by the time you see yourself next time, you will be glad you read this write up. You have to seize every opportunity that comes your way. Some things can only be ours when we grab them by force. Do not wait to be spoon fed by anybody. Take charge of your life and, make the most of it. The power that will give you a place amongst great men in the choices you make every day. The choice you must make after reading this piece should be, I WAIT NO LONGER. Do not wait any longer. Go into action and take action. Let me re echo what Harry A. Hopf said, “often greater risk is involved in postponement than in making wrong decision.” Therefore do not be afraid of making wrong decision. It is better than to make mistake than and learn from it NOW than not to make any mistake and die of heart attack from the pain of what you could have done that you didn’t do tomorrow.

Let me round of this piece with this German Proverb, “begin to weave now and God will give you the thread.” Just get it done and do it now.

Onuigwe Chidi Sirnoel

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