I was not expecting anything unusual, I’ve been through it before, and I felt it should just pass like any other one. In the past, I really didn’t see my birthdays as any day too important to be marked or expect some special treatment. However, this year, somehow, everything started to be different from few minutes to the day.
It was regular hand over time and a call came-in for me, over the phone was the beautiful voice of my beautiful wife singing. I can assure you, she’s got the best voice. (If you doubt that search for “olukunlemi’ on youtube) Her song went on until the 15th second of the day and then she wished me happy birthday…and for the first time in almost ten years, I savoured the joy of my birthday.
I was going to continue the shift hand over when all my colleagues in the instrument room chorused happy birthday to you…Even with cracked Nigerian voices of Femmy, Kekeh and Michael, the Samba voices of Rubim and Vinny, the tiny-Trinny voice of Abi, the matured baritone of Alaskar and Richard, the Kamba voices of Virginia And David, and less I forget, the sonorous voice of Shipra and Benny, it turned out to be the best joint happy birthday song for me ever. A mixture of sopranos, alto and baritone base. That wrapped up the activities of the day in the instrument room and I can boldly say, I enjoyed every bit of it.
Back in my room I remembered the last birthday party I had about ten years ago, well attended by both The Polytechnic Ibadan and University of Ibadan Junior Chamber members (I’m sure some people will still remember) It was a short one well organised by my then J19 roommate. Then started to think, did I plan (ten years ago) to be where I am today. No came the answer… it is not by power nor by might but by the spirit of God the father.
8:00am
Before I knew it, it was 8 o’clock and my phone rang again. This time the devil was trying to play smart, but I remember that "greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world”
I prayed and agreed about a thing and by 8:30am the testimony was already there. Then I regretted my act of ‘defriending’ someone recently on facebook. He claimed not to believe in GOD and miracles; I would have loved to share this testimony with him, now…it is too late. Sure thing is, my God, our God answers prayers.
11:30 am
Now, its time for lunch. I had an expectation, cake in the messroom for everyone to eat because it’s Stephen’s birthday! Nooo, it was not to be. I looked at one of the galley crew members, and I mumbled to myself “don’t they check the crew list anymore to bake cake for birthdays”. Someone even noticed, and he asked why I was having breakfast at lunch…I had no answer but I guess I was mad at the galley crew members for not baking a cake for me. Then I said to myself, it’s just another day, just forget it and live your day as usual.
12:00 noon
It was time to take over at shift change, everything was done in order and by then I had forgotten it’s my birthday. Another Seismic day anyway! Then the boss came and gave a list of tasks to be completed. One-by-one, people started trooping into the instrument room and I asked myself, what’s the occasion? The Party Chief (with his Italian ascent) asked “any news about start of job? What a question? I soliloquised. The answer to that question should come from you…little did I know his question was the cue for the whole crew to sing happy birthday song for me. I looked lost, embarrassed, happy, jumpy, and felt great all together.
As if that was not enough, then came in a veeeeeeeeeeeeeery big cake (see the pictures) from the conference room carried by the newly constituted welfare team. I looked around and I saw the crew Chef and the whole galley crew…guess what? I started to ask God for forgiveness!
They made me a cake, a real big one, so beautiful, and everyone onboard was around, they feel very proud of it and I noticed a good group smile on the faces of the galley crew, then I could tell God had forgiven me for the rage that went through my heart earlier.
Now name it, there in the instrument room was everyone different colour, different races, almost 22 nationalities singing and wishing me happy birthday. It was a colourful one, how I wished my wife was there!!!
Flashes of cameras, joy on all the faces present, the birthday boy (sorry man), cut the cake and the party started!!!
I have seen this day 35 times earlier, but the 27th of August 2010 will forever remain a different one. And I promise myself to forever respect my birthday and attach importance to it like I do to other people’s birthdays.
Yeah, I know you’d ask, I made a wish… I’ll tell you on this same day next year with a testimony.
Thanks for reading through my diary.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
My Best Friend
The friend whose love is not increasing by the day is not worth having.
The one with half hearted giving is not worth keeping.
The one who sees you as an asset to achieve self serving personal goal is killing,
A friend in need (they say) is a friend indeed.
To the one who is my anchor in life’s ocean,
She is my bread when I’m hungry,
My shelter from the troubled wind
Most of all, (like Don William said)
…She is my best friend.
My love for you does not struggle to grow,
It naturally feeds from the abundance of care you provide,
Day-by-day, I could tell the difference,
My love for you grows and nothing can stop it.
You give it all without holding anything back,
Such that I feel so secured like never before,
I’ve got enough love in the pool,
Therein I’ll swim till I cease to live.
I love you Angel. You are my BEST FRIEND
The one with half hearted giving is not worth keeping.
The one who sees you as an asset to achieve self serving personal goal is killing,
A friend in need (they say) is a friend indeed.
To the one who is my anchor in life’s ocean,
She is my bread when I’m hungry,
My shelter from the troubled wind
Most of all, (like Don William said)
…She is my best friend.
My love for you does not struggle to grow,
It naturally feeds from the abundance of care you provide,
Day-by-day, I could tell the difference,
My love for you grows and nothing can stop it.
You give it all without holding anything back,
Such that I feel so secured like never before,
I’ve got enough love in the pool,
Therein I’ll swim till I cease to live.
I love you Angel. You are my BEST FRIEND
Monday, June 14, 2010
It Was My Dream
Why do I get disturbed about what people do?
Why do I feel cheated or disappointed about the happenings around me?
Why do I expect people to see it the way I want?
Is it possible to have them love me?
Oh I remember why everything seems difficult.
Now I know why they find me impossible,
yes I can tell the difference,
Except me no one else was there when I had the dream!
If they were there, they would understand,
they would play well along if they saw it,
they would have known the melody from the tone
Oh, I was the only one there...when I had the dream.
I have a mission to accomplish, a goal to reach,
Mountains to climb, infact some to surmount!
I've got a race to run, wide gap to cover
'cos I'm not ordinary, I know my dream.
The path to success is rough, others feel I am rough,
the race requires speed, they feel I am reckless,
the mission needs thoughtfulness but they say I am slow,
Oh, I was the only one there...when I had the dream.
Father of Grace, give me peace within,
When it is difficult to explain,
Give me power of will,
Never to see the obstacles, or lose the foresight of my focus.
Why do I feel cheated or disappointed about the happenings around me?
Why do I expect people to see it the way I want?
Is it possible to have them love me?
Oh I remember why everything seems difficult.
Now I know why they find me impossible,
yes I can tell the difference,
Except me no one else was there when I had the dream!
If they were there, they would understand,
they would play well along if they saw it,
they would have known the melody from the tone
Oh, I was the only one there...when I had the dream.
I have a mission to accomplish, a goal to reach,
Mountains to climb, infact some to surmount!
I've got a race to run, wide gap to cover
'cos I'm not ordinary, I know my dream.
The path to success is rough, others feel I am rough,
the race requires speed, they feel I am reckless,
the mission needs thoughtfulness but they say I am slow,
Oh, I was the only one there...when I had the dream.
Father of Grace, give me peace within,
When it is difficult to explain,
Give me power of will,
Never to see the obstacles, or lose the foresight of my focus.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Night out with First Love
She is my first love,
We were closer than the closest of friends,
We shared everything,
Food, water, air and all.
When she stood, I was upright,
When she lay down, so I was.
I touched her on the inside,
I was privileged to see everything inside her
She touched me at will,
She attempted to make me behave when I kicked,
We were so close knitted
And one day, she finally made me see this world
…my mother
For a long, long time,
Her legs were the only chair I knew
The only food I had was from her bosom.
She gave me directions for a long time,
She told me what to do, say, touch and where to go.
Then came a night that I chose where to go,
A place to see things and enjoy together
Not with the best of heels,
Wished she wore an Italian shoe
Not the best of clothes
Not with a Gucci or Prada hand bag
But we were together one night.
All through, I feel very proud to be by her,
We had a nice time in one of the best places
She sat gracefully with me like a lover,
With her ‘head scarf’ like the grand mom,
She sat at the bar with me,
We shared pop corn and drinks,
It was a very lovely scene.
I look around and saw couples,
People of the same age bracket,
They seem to enjoy their time too
But I also felt they were envious of me
Having a night out with my sixty-four year old mother.
She was not the most beautiful at the bar,
She’s probably not the most intelligent,
She was not tastefully dressed like younger girls
But she is my mother!
She made me one of the most intelligent,
A man that can afford expensive clothes and shoes,
She’s infact a great woman
Woman of honor and good charm
That night I learnt one thing,
It takes more than charisma to be great,
Competence and Godly charm are more than important,
It was a good night out
…with my sixty-four year old mother.
I love you mum
We were closer than the closest of friends,
We shared everything,
Food, water, air and all.
When she stood, I was upright,
When she lay down, so I was.
I touched her on the inside,
I was privileged to see everything inside her
She touched me at will,
She attempted to make me behave when I kicked,
We were so close knitted
And one day, she finally made me see this world
…my mother
For a long, long time,
Her legs were the only chair I knew
The only food I had was from her bosom.
She gave me directions for a long time,
She told me what to do, say, touch and where to go.
Then came a night that I chose where to go,
A place to see things and enjoy together
Not with the best of heels,
Wished she wore an Italian shoe
Not the best of clothes
Not with a Gucci or Prada hand bag
But we were together one night.
All through, I feel very proud to be by her,
We had a nice time in one of the best places
She sat gracefully with me like a lover,
With her ‘head scarf’ like the grand mom,
She sat at the bar with me,
We shared pop corn and drinks,
It was a very lovely scene.
I look around and saw couples,
People of the same age bracket,
They seem to enjoy their time too
But I also felt they were envious of me
Having a night out with my sixty-four year old mother.
She was not the most beautiful at the bar,
She’s probably not the most intelligent,
She was not tastefully dressed like younger girls
But she is my mother!
She made me one of the most intelligent,
A man that can afford expensive clothes and shoes,
She’s infact a great woman
Woman of honor and good charm
That night I learnt one thing,
It takes more than charisma to be great,
Competence and Godly charm are more than important,
It was a good night out
…with my sixty-four year old mother.
I love you mum
Sunday, March 7, 2010
I thought you always be mine
I thought I saw it all
I thought I knew you,
I thought you are all I need
I thought you'll always be mine.
Not many deserve the best
Not many do what they say
Not all that glitter is gold
I thought you'll always be mine
How time flies
How people forget
How people faint
I thought you'll always be mine
People try
People lie...
People die
I thought you'll always be mine.
I gave my word
I gave my time
I gave my life
I thought you'll always be mine.
I am hero, you call me zero
I am favored you call me failure
I'm full of praise you call me proud
I thought you'll always be mine
I thought I knew you,
I thought you are all I need
I thought you'll always be mine.
Not many deserve the best
Not many do what they say
Not all that glitter is gold
I thought you'll always be mine
How time flies
How people forget
How people faint
I thought you'll always be mine
People try
People lie...
People die
I thought you'll always be mine.
I gave my word
I gave my time
I gave my life
I thought you'll always be mine.
I am hero, you call me zero
I am favored you call me failure
I'm full of praise you call me proud
I thought you'll always be mine
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Look Ahead
“Finish each day and be done with it.
You have done what you could.
Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in;
forget them as soon as you can.
Tomorrow is a new day;
begin it well and serenely
with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.”
-----------because------------------
"Cowardice asks the question Is it safe?
Expediency asks the question is it politic?
Vanity asks the question - is it popular?
But conscience asks the question is it right?
And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular; but one must take it because it is right."
You have done what you could.
Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in;
forget them as soon as you can.
Tomorrow is a new day;
begin it well and serenely
with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.”
-----------because------------------
"Cowardice asks the question Is it safe?
Expediency asks the question is it politic?
Vanity asks the question - is it popular?
But conscience asks the question is it right?
And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular; but one must take it because it is right."
Life or Death
Life will not always be sweet,
that's why down is the opposite of UP.
It will not forever be a bed or roses,
the ground that produces roses grows thorns.
Rain Sunshine,
Hot Cold,
Slow Fast,
Like Dislike,
Love Hate,
Rich Poor,
Life Death,
Free Bond,
…and so on.
Is it really a case of opposition?
Must there be a fall for every rise?
Can it forever be dusk without dawn?
maybe life always… without death?
Life is never a game,
It is a race.
I run the race daily to satisfy, to please, to care, to love and do all I can for my life and that of others around me.
I have lived to find out that; even in the face of love, there’s hate, in the gathering of plenty, there’s want, in a room of joy, sadness maybe in the corner.
Then, how shall we do this world?
Is there anything to make this place a perfect place where it will forever be what we want?
Uhmmmmmm,
That’s why it’s a race.
A race where you don’t win always,
But have opportunities to learn from the loss, disappointment and unfair treatment.
Then, I’ll hold my life in my hands and control all I can leaving behind what I cannot because I have the God’s given ability to direct my thoughts, control my emotions and ordain my destiny.
Thank you Lord for the gift of life and the ability to choose.
that's why down is the opposite of UP.
It will not forever be a bed or roses,
the ground that produces roses grows thorns.
Rain Sunshine,
Hot Cold,
Slow Fast,
Like Dislike,
Love Hate,
Rich Poor,
Life Death,
Free Bond,
…and so on.
Is it really a case of opposition?
Must there be a fall for every rise?
Can it forever be dusk without dawn?
maybe life always… without death?
Life is never a game,
It is a race.
I run the race daily to satisfy, to please, to care, to love and do all I can for my life and that of others around me.
I have lived to find out that; even in the face of love, there’s hate, in the gathering of plenty, there’s want, in a room of joy, sadness maybe in the corner.
Then, how shall we do this world?
Is there anything to make this place a perfect place where it will forever be what we want?
Uhmmmmmm,
That’s why it’s a race.
A race where you don’t win always,
But have opportunities to learn from the loss, disappointment and unfair treatment.
Then, I’ll hold my life in my hands and control all I can leaving behind what I cannot because I have the God’s given ability to direct my thoughts, control my emotions and ordain my destiny.
Thank you Lord for the gift of life and the ability to choose.
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