The Compass That Shapes My Choices

While I was growing up, I took note that most of the things we did, especially the decisions we took, were not even about us because most of these decisions seemed to be in connection with the environment we grew up in, my tradition, and most especially my family. But inside of me, those are not the things that shaped my life decisions but the set of values I decided to live by.  One of the things that I attach so much importance to is his being honest, and I can say that it is one of my strongest values, despite the fact that it is hard to keep up with it, most especially in an environment where when people are always smart with the ways they tell their lies, they easily become the hero of the moment. I could remember some time ago when I lost a friendship simply because I stood my ground and refused to cooperate with him when he told me to be an accomplice in his lie. Even though the friendship kind of affected me back then, taking a flashback now, I am grateful to God that I made that decision because peace filled my heart. No amount of lies can keep someone forever, because one day it will come with great consistency, but I want my conscience to be clean always. One of the things that has also shaped my life is being respectful. They say respect is reciprocal, even though it is earned. I am a Yorùbá boy, and in our culture, we value respect so much, from treating others right to respecting the elders by kneeling and prostrating for them. And looking beyond my culture, respecting those above me, my mates, and those younger than me has given me the privilege to be able to connect easily and build true friendship anywhere I find myself, which is a form of favor too.  I am also a firm believer in endurance. Life has tested me in a lot of ways. The plan won't go as expected. I could remember staying in the queue for hours just to buy fuel some time ago, and this enduring spirit has kept me moving forward, reminding myself that the road is not smooth and it is a form of stepping stones to move to the next level and not the setback. And above all, having some values that I believe in holds me firm no matter how hard the obstacles might seem to be. And these are the core values that have kept me rooted and growing. --- Thank you for reading. > _{Images created by MetaAi}