The special song

John Maxwell defined Leadership as Influence. Hence, be it a positive or negative influence you champion, you are a leader.

Back in secondary school, we junior students were often treated with little or no kindness. we were errand girls, helpers or a showcase of a senior’s brutality and primacy. Quite frankly, I detested boarding school. However, there were some seniors who were poles apart. Senior Beauty was one of the few. Every junior girl liked her. She was bold and impersonal, she didn’t wear her badge of seniority when she was with a junior student.

One day at the School fellowship, senior Beauty came afront the podium, holding a microphone in her hand, we all cooed with excitement, and in anticipation. Her head was bowed, and her fingers pierced into the handheld microphone. It was obvious that standing before a crowd was nerve-racking for senior Beauty.

We waited patiently as senior Beauty stood before us. At last, a rasping sound came forth- A song of God’s love for us in a local dialect. It was beautiful. We listened a few more times, and then sang along. Even today, the melody of that special song emanates in my subconcious, and I find my self singing and swaying unwittingly.

I remember my days in secondary school with a blur. However, a few memories like senior Beauty’s special song will never leave me. I am not only reminded that senior Beauty’s behavior and personality, gave me a reason to smile and cope amidst the existing harshness in school, but also her special song kept me aware of God’s unconditional love for me.

Senior Beauty was a good influence on me.

 

Chiggy and me

Chiggy and I have been best friends for 21 years now.

 
I was 10 years old when we first met. I just knew she was many years older than me at the time because she was also friends with my older sisters, and they went to the same university.
I told Chiggy everything. It was so easy to talk to her. She treated me like we were mates. Chiggy always reminded me how much she loved me, and cherished our friendship.

 
I was also in boarding school at the time, so Chiggy and I wrote letters to each other back and forth. I remember one letter I wrote to her, I had written the alphabet “a” a certain type of way- it was the new way the other kids had learned to write too, so I couldn’t be left out. Chiggy replied my letter a week after, criticizing my new style of writing the alphabet “a”, and reminded me to be true to myself. Only at those times, did I remember that Chiggy was a lot older than me.

 
One special gift Chiggy gave me was a wristwatch. It was a back to school gift, and it was so special to me. I was the only kid on school grounds, who had that kind of wristwatch. It was black and beautiful, and it sang every hour on the hour. It was easy to tell the time, as well as easy to get noticed. not that I enjoyed the attention or the sudden rouse it brought to a tranquil environment, but there was nothing I could do. I guess it was my destiny to be noticed. lol.

 
One day, my beautiful, black, singing wrist watch was stolen from me. I was distraught. it felt like life had passed me by, and my sense of identity was lost completely. No longer did all eyes look upon me per hour. I was no longer special… or so I thought.
In my next letter to Chiggy, I recounted my ordeal, and needless to say, Chiggy took pity on me. She got me another wristwatch, just like the old one. It was beautiful, more beautiful than the first. I was the happiest girl in the world.

Proudly adorned, my wrist wore my identity once again.
Back home during the holidays, Chiggy again reminded me to believe in myself, and told me that my identity was not in some wristwatch. “It does not define you,” she said. That made sense.
It took me many years after this reprimand to understand this.

 
21 years after, guided by this simple instruction, I sought, and I found that my life is hidden in Christ, and Christ is hidden in God. Christ has become my life. I was crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. the life I now live, I live by the faith of Him that loved me and gave Himself up for me. Colossians 3; Galatians 2:20.

I am identified with Christ. He is the head, and I am His body. Christ is my Life, He is my identity. Dazall.