While growing up my uncle's favourite statement to us was "you have to be Book smart and Street smart, if not you'd suffer" I didn't think much of that statement until very much later in life.
You see, the difference between being book smart and being street smart is the four walls of the classroom. Being book smart is essential but you see being street smart, it is the blueprint of succeeding in this ever changing world.
To be street smart is to drink deeply from the cup of life’s hard-earned lessons, bitter, bold, and unforgettable, because in life a lesson not learnt is a lesson pushed forward. You must just learn it, either the easy way or the hard way.
These are the lessons whispered and sometimes screamed by Life, the teacher who offers no forgiveness, only experience.
First and top on my list, Never borrow someone money you can't dash them.
You see this legal tender we call money has resulted in the end of many friendships and so many other heart aches.
I pride myself as being a giver who is always willing to lend a helping hand when it comes to money, however, my kindness soon became a torn in my flesh.
One I can never forget is the #10,000 I sent to Kola and expected to receive my money back a week after as he said he needed it urgently. To put this in perspective as at that time, I was earning #19,800 as a Corps member serving my country, so the money was a lot at my level at the time.
Time to get my money back came and damn! I was amazed by his response when I asked for the money, he goes, "what sef! How much did you give me that you're disturbing me?" I had to remove the phone from my ears to confirm if it was the same Kola that sounded like he was going to cry when he asked me for the money I was talking to.
I dropped the call and never called him again. After him, I had several experiences like that and I told myself I would never borrow money I can't dash out to anyone again.
Second on my list is the assumption that because you were good to someone they'd automatically be good to you.
Boy oh Boy... Have I had my fair share of heartbreaks from this on levels that I thought were impossible at first. But over time I just had to tell myself the hard truth, not everyone will pay your good with good.
One which stood out for me was from my girlfriend then, I gave this lady virtually everything, my love, my money, my time... I didn't cheat or even have time for other ladies,I felt I had found the one for me.
Only for me to receive a phone call from her telling me she was pregnant, I was amazed because I never touched her. We were in different states at the time and ensured to visit as often as I could but I guess that wasn't enough. It was a rollercoaster of emotions for me, I questioned myself and all I had done for her.
But I guess that's just life forcing some lessons down my throat that I may have ignored in times last year.
There are a plethora of other nuggets life has thrown at me but I don't want to bore you.
Thank you for taking out time to read through.
Image credit is mine.
