Growing up in the suburbs of Lagos, 'ejika ni shoobu' (shop on the shoulders) used to be a popular sight on the streets moving within houses. These tailors roamed around with their mini sewing machines on their shoulders, calling out to anyone who needed to mend their clothes for a token.
Some days they flood the area, and some days when you really need them the most, they are nowhere to be found. And if at all you're lucky to find one, they just might not have the thread colour needed to mend your cloth.
.... "Oh God! Why you no go get the thread na" (that line was a common line on our lips those days whenever we were dissapointed by the tailors). I know some of you can relate to this.
"We want to be that 'TAILOR WITH ALL COLOURS OF THREAD',but sometimes, these clothes don't wait till you get home before they're torn." -TW ™
#PardonMeIfYouDontUnderstandThis #DEEP #Parable
Many have since my posting of these line bothered me for an explanation, more like an expantiation of a sort.
I couldn't help but smile at some point, seeing how literarily some took my words. One very close to me even gave me a call to ask what happened to my clothes after reading my status update on facebook.
The words, when taken in units are as simple as; 'Cloth', 'Thread', 'Colours' etc. But put together, it becomes a big parable, one that concern a very debatable matter of life.
"We want to be that 'TAILOR WITH ALL COLOURS OF THREAD',but sometimes, these clothes don't wait till you get home before they're torn." -TW ™
...It's all about life, its all about preparation,
Its all about readiness, and the eventuality of life.
Men sometimes do all they can to prepare, we try to preempt, we meticulously cover our tracks, be proactive, but life has its ways of taking us unaware. And then we seem again like the ones who never prepared.
Going back to my analogy;
Of what use is all the colours of thread gathered and acquired at home if ones clothes chooses to get torn on the road?
Do we put it off and start sewing on the road?
The one who in his wisdom had bought many threads of different colours has prepared for the possibility/eventuality of a cloth (its colour regardless) needing a stitch.
He's done well for himself, hasn't he?
But today, his cloth has chosen to bring him some embarrassment on the street, far away from his (prepared) thread.
Life oh life, what more can a man do, knowing well he knows not what lies ahead of him the next second?
"These Clothes Don't Wait Till You're Home Before They Get Torn."
We are all tailors of our own lives. There to make necessary ammendments and corrections when life goes wrong.
A 'Tailor' with all colours of thread is that proactive person.
'Clothes' in the parlance represent issues of life.
With 'Threads' to mean remedies cum solutions profered.
Notwithstanding, 'Que sera sera',
what will be will be, life has got a way to outsmart every one man, no matter how carefully we keep guard.
Life's bulk sometimes is beyond us!
We do our best to PREPARE , but its beyond us to determine what life PERFORMS.
When life hits you with such situations that leaves you with no choice even when you thought you had done all your best to prevent or remedy it;
Don't lose heart,
Don't blame yourself to dismay,
Don't wallow in the muds of regret,
Don't seek what/who to put the blame on,
Don't take your own life.
Be strong for you and others,
Be wise and humble enough to accept you don't control life,
Be smart to know; 'Life (Always) Goes On'.
.
.
.
Its true we all want to be that TAILOR WITH ALL COLOURS OF THREAD', but sometimes, these clothes don't wait till you get home before they're torn." -TW ™
Best Regards,
Akogun Olalekan.
(I write, I speak, I coach)
ff @Olalekanakogun on Twitter