HAVE FUN by Samuel Arua
The second half of last year was the busiest for me. I was juggling a lot of responsibilities, in the hope of being A MAN as is expected of someone my age and status in the family. Work was more stressful than I had ever imagined. Different projects popped up concurrently. (www.nigeriaschool.com.ng)
I would finish this project only for me to jump off to the next; it devoured me. I would come back by 11pm, 12am on most nights because of how busy I got in the office; it was that bad.
I had little or no time for myself. My kid brother had just died and so I wanted to be there for the family financially and otherwise; but what I didn’t realise was that I was getting it all wrong.
You see, most times, we get so busy trying to finish the next project which always begats another project; we think the money will show how caring and hardworking we are; we think getting so wrapped up in our work will show how zealous we are to keep food on the table for the family, but what we don’t realise is that is that it ain’t all about the money. Sometimes, the company, the little time spent together, means more.
My friends complained bitterly of how I was burning myself out; my dad complained about how I often got so wrapped up in my work that I forgot every other person existed.
Well, if I must say the truth and shame the devil, in that period, I began to forget what it felt like to sit in my family house and watch my mum crack some funny jokes and even accompany these jokes with some certain acts; I began to forget what it felt like to being (yabbed) by close friends and still smile with all sincerity; I began to forget what it felt like, to sit down on the chair or lie down on the bed and just rest (not sleeping ooo, there’s a difference between sleeping and resting); I began to forget the power of lively and friendly company.
No matter the kind of responsibility on your shoulder, no matter how bad you want to prove a point or make a statement by your hardwork; it doesn’t and shouldn’t stop you from pausing, and taking a time out to spend it with family, friends, or even yourself.
Take yourself out. Give yourself a treat; you deserve it. A treat in a while is not extravagancy. It doesn’t mean you’re being reckless with money. Have fun. Because when you break down like my friend did a couple of days ago, and the whole family and friends is by your bedside, trying to nurse you back to health, hoping and lavishing prayers on you that you recover speedingly, the work you nearly broke your back over will still be there; it will never finish. You are not lazy, I know you’re hardworking and industrious; but like my “waffi” friends would always say “body no be firewood”, it’s weekend, catch some fun, you’ve earned it.