Back in secondary school, I loved Biology classes especially when we had to draw and label diagrams. Of course, when I am not writing, I must be drawing.
I can't recall if my misconception about chameleons started as a teenager but I grew up to think that chameleons change their skin color just to camouflage themselves against the background. Often times, I've heard speakers preach that we should beware of pretenders who act like chameleons under green grasses.
Since then, I always penned this theory as a life quote but a certain force compelled me to find out if this belief about chameleons was true.
Boom!
I carried my research and I was shocked.
Chameleons actually change their skin color to regulate their temperature. Female chameleons change colors when giving signals to the opposite sex that they are willing to mate. Male chameleons change into darker colors during difficult encounters and brighter colors as a show of dominance.
Many people still believe that they just change for camouflage. But such theory is fallacy.
One key lesson is, not everything you hear is true. Don't blindly believe things because you heard it, rather, find out how true those beliefs are.
I remember when I got my Call-Up letter to serve in Plateau State. Many people scared me, saying that it was a 48hour journey from Uyo. Some said that Jos was a centre for Boko Haram and even in camp, we were told that the only way to be posted to Jos was to actively join groups and hang out with soldiers.
Well, I believed and had to spend one night in Enugu in order to continue the journey the next day.
But guess what?
I got to the camp early at noon and was posted to Jos, the State Capital, without connection or joining groups.
What an irony!
Never allow people confuse your life. For every common belief, find out if it is true. Their own reality may not necessarily be yours. What works for them may not work for you. Popular beliefs may not be true.
The way I believed this lie about chameleons got me wondering how much people can be misled because they are not ready to investigate.
If you don't understand what you've read so far, take this home - DON'T ALWAYS BELIEVE THINGS JUST BECAUSE PEOPLE SAY IT, FIND OUT IF IS TRUE OR FALSE.
Happy Sunday to you all..