(Samson Midigo is a columnist who writes about self-development)
I stood waiting for public transport to our home town the other day and a teenage mother of three walked by.
The boy and girl aged around 3 and 5 trotted along as the mother carried the youngest on her back.
There was a reason to believe the three little bundles of joy were hers. But I had to ask.“Tell me, are these your kids?” This question is as normal as breathing fresh air in this culture where women are proud to be called mothers.
In a different community and culture, I would hesitate to ask a similar question, even though it sounds legitimate and harmless.
“Yes, these are my kids,” the teenage woman replied with a trace of excitement in the tone of her voice.
The little one seemed anxious to get down and walk. She clawed and kicked to get down. She would rather walk than enjoy the free piggyback all the way home, a hundred yards from the main road.
It is in order for the mother to carry and protect the little one along a busy road. The mother could use some breathing space heaving the young girl all the way from the nearest shopping centre two kilometres away.
The moment the little girl’s feet touched down, she was floating on air with excitement. In that ecstasy, she stumbled and fell.
Institutively, the mother reached out to lend a hand. The lass flung the mother’s hand away. She needed space to do her thing, alone, unaided.
Watching this episode unfold with curiosity and interest, my mind swung into action spooning something I read earlier by Joyce Meyer in the column in one local daily newspaper column entitled “Stay Positive, Refuse to Give Up.”
Kids never cease to amaze with their ingenuity. A baby learning to walk falls many times in the process.
But the little one never gives up until he/she is able to balance his/her body on twinkle toes and walks alone.
On this mid-morning, nature showed me a practical side of life’s lessons adults could learn from kids.
How many times have you tried to overcome one challenge in the past only to throw your hands up in the air and declare that you can’t?
If kids can do it, so can you. In persisting to try over and over again, you will be able to live a stress-free life because your mind is on productive mode.
Try it out next time you come up to a challenging situation and watch what happens.
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