Welcome to Nigeria where lending a helping hand could land one in trouble and sometimes could probably be a great mess that might tarnish the helper's for life.
You know what, the first paragraph is screaming the story of my family but that's not our focus right.
The question is, was I affected? Yes!
Did I feel bad? Also Yes!
And do I still think lending helping hands is a good thing? Yes Again!
These are three yeses put together, mind you it wasn't easy at that time. Being at a higher position and all of a sudden losing all in a day is traumatizing you know and it would have been better if it ended there, later to realize that the one controlling your problems behind the scene happens to be a person you could give your last coin to.
Oh well, I didn't realize I was going back to that story. I wouldn't deny the fact that at the beginning I was overly conscious, I wouldn't want to experience the pain of my parents, I wouldn't want to deal with the scenario where my help would turn to a knife that might lead to a misfortune.
Also, with the stories we hear around those who use people's money to cause them harm, of one i heard about a popular handicapped beggar who opened three shops for his three wives, although this story came after his death, be it true or not i believe nothing is impossible as long as the world goes on.
Now life happens, and from the little I know, it's a world filled with ups and downs. My mentality changed as I grew older and heard others stories and then I remembered life is short and everything we do counts whether it be good or bad. I also realize that our stories are ours to write with our hands, we could either choose to copy our parents book or patiently write ours.
Lastly, i realized that our past are called past for a reason, it's called past because it's no longer in the present again. It's now part of yesterday and we could choose to make today and even tomorrow a memorable past too, that by the time we look back we would have the fulfillment of choosing doing good replacing the previous past that once caused hurt to us.
This now brings back a short encounter I experienced sometime last year.
On getting to the road leading to my place of work back at my home town, since it was an estate, I had to stroll down anytime i get down from my ride as it could not go further.
I was walking down as I always did just to be stopped by a younger girl than myself. Looking at her I knew I was stopped for a reason. My initial thoughts where it could be for description as it was an estate and I always get people stopping me for that reason.
But then she looked at me and pleaded i should help her with money. She and her sister haven't eaten for almost two days.
Being a person who had experienced what it means to go without food for a couple of days, of course I could understand how bad it could feel. At that point, i didn't had any cash on me except my t-fee back home and my account only had a thousand and six hundred naira..hahaha
I planned to manage till the week is over but then i couldn't ignore a person whose shoes have been in more than i could count.
Luckily there was just a supermarket opposite where we stood and I told her to come with me. Entering the shop, I asked her if she would love to eat, and she replied with “anything”. I went on asking if indomie would be a preferred option and she nodded.
At the end i picked up three noodles and asked again if it would be enough for her and her sister, this time she replied No and said i should add two more..hahaha
Funny, I couldn't even get upset and just laughed. Then again, I asked, would you want eggs with it, this girl nodded again😅
I picked two eggs about to go to pay, she stopped me and picked one of the eggs to return to the actual position. That surprised me, you know, just when I was to ask why, she said one would do for her and her sister.
Well with how expensive things are in Nigeria, my small 1600 reduced to 200 naira 😂. I told myself, at least the money could still go for data..lol
She thanked me and left.
I continued my journey to my work place with my she's turning red..lol
Happiness was written all over me even with an empty account. My boss who is also my god mom did notice my mood and i explained all that happened.
Well well, She wasn't so pleased since humans can be so daring and some even go as far as losing and looking pitiable just to get help from people. I understood her point, however I was happy that I could help irrespective of if she lied to me or not. I was glad I could put food on the table of two sisters and that was all that mattered to me.