YOUTH: WAKE UP, EVIL DAYS APPROACH SO FAST! - Onyeuche Godson

'Remember now, your Creator in the days of your youth, while the evil days come not' – Ecclesiastes 12:1;

You have to remember God by remembering yourself because you don’t want the work of his hands (you) to become a waste; do you?  

What is then the evil days here?

It’s when you have no pleasure, or youthful excitement to do what a youth is driven to do, especially to crave for greater heights and achieve them.

If you are a youth, and you are not motivated to do anything worth referred to in the future, which could motivate others, you should be afraid. If you can’t boast of any vision, you have to understand that you have no future, as there is not future without a vision. And if you have no future, you abuse the worth of living.  

There are many old men out there who wish they could get second chances to do that which they lose opportunity when they were in their youth; and such has been a painful scar in their hearts and bone marrow – these painful memories are more painful than anything on earth that could break one’s heart, because they had the opportunity, they had the ability, and as well the resources to achieve something, but are not willing to do anything. Also, there is no excuses for them, because evil days never came by then. But now, what is their fate? Nothing could be done, as they now lack the enthusiasm and overwhelming strength to do anything.

And now you are youth, you should learn from the experience of these old men and ladies. It is an abomination or taboo to repeat history. You can see it, you can actually feel their pain, see deeply in their eyes and sense their story written all over them, which is being talked about today, yet you want to make the same mistake they made – it could even be your own parents who have made this mistake, and wouldn’t want you to do the same, but you wouldn’t listen. You still are not motivated to become important in your life, and later you blame your friends who would have become successful in the future.

The old cannot easily mend their broken pieces at old age, because the said pieces of theirs are rigid and hard to bring together. But for you a youth, your past or recent broken pieces still got good chances to be mended, because you are still fresh and flexible.

Now, your mind, and cognitive process are still active. You are intelligent and innovative, you are brave, fearless and strong to take risk, you are swift in thoughts, you got physical strengths to do a thing. Why hold back, and waste your life on things that are useless or vanity? Why not listen to your parents and elders?

Life is always once upon a time, before and after death. What would be your ‘once upon a time’ when you are old, to be told be you? And what will be your ‘once upon a time’ when you are dead to be told by others? You got to make a choice now, and live life of one who has something great burning inside of him or her.

Always remember to follow God, to be successful. Walk in His ways and wisdom, so that your days may be prominent before Him, as others see your good works and glorify your Maker! 

It shall be well with you!

PASSION FOR HUMANITY!

YOUTH: THE LEADERS OF TODAY, TOMORROW NEVER COMES! – Onyeuche Godson

...Don't call you CHILD leader of tomorrow

It has been told from inception that the youth (children) from all works of life are the leaders of tomorrow. This statement that is strongly believed that one day the young ones will be at the apex of life-experience, to feel the joy of leadership, not just the sacrifices. The joy in the sense that the youth is the strength of the society per se. As a result, no gallant, made or called-leader takes pain or struggle to lead, but joy which is derived from the privilege of leadership. Moreover, this assertion of ‘youth are the leaders of tomorrow’ is frequently memorized, sang and spoken daily by children of different nations, having faith that one day, some among them would emerge to be the leaders of the said tomorrow. 

Ironically, everyday is the birth of tomorrow till the end of the world. When then shall tomorrow come? These hopeful-hopeless ones have been singing this song, and are tired of singing. They have sang it from childhood, till now they are adult, and as well pass it on to their own children who are still singing it – ‘we are the leaders of tomorrow’.  Little do they know that their poor follower-parents sang it in their childhood, and yet nothing happen. Wouldn’t it be good to tell these young ones that their ancestor had sang this song from century past?

It is important to correct this lapse. It is an error; pure mistake to see the youngsters as leaders of tomorrow. It is like a curse. No parent, guardian or teacher should call their children LEADERS OF TOMORROW, as tomorrow is always born after the death of another. There is no tomorrow people! That’s it. Calling one a leader of tomorrow is like putting him in a cage where hope does not transpire. A state of shattered future, and nothingness in living a life. Don’t call your friend leader of tomorrow. Where is tomorrow, and how does one know the end of tomorrow? It is better to be called a servant of today, than leader of tomorrow. A servant of today has hope that before one becomes a king or leader, he has to start from somewhere. But how can one who has not tested service of today test the leadership of tomorrow? – community without a commodity in one’s mentality – whatever!

Fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, the youth are the LEADERS OF TODAY. It is today, not tomorrow. Today gives hope. Today makes one act, knowing that it may end at nightfall. Inasmuch as everyday is today, it helps one to act quickly, because night would approach soon, as no one would want what he does be caught up against by the night. Thus, there is dedication, hard work and perseverance. ‘Today’ brings freshness and multi-passionate heart to do a thing. Therefore people, start working on TODAY – you are the leader of today. If you wait for tomorrow to come, be ready to have your children wait after you – it’s like a generational curse.

The leaders of tomorrow are those who are still leading, that would never give room for the young ones to show what they got. The leaders of tomorrow are those who lead in gray hair, with double upon double coated gray hair – these would never leave the seat for the young ones to reconstruct and rebuild the things they destroy daily. And if any wait for them to become after them, ‘sorry’ should be your second name.

It is overwhelming and alarming that those gray-leaders are there in contract with their fellow grays, and after them comes another gray. It has been like that from inception. Rarely would one see a situation where few good grays give room for others to try out. Well, this is what leaders of tomorrow is all about.

And for the leaders of today, DON’T WAIT FOR TOMORROW, IF YOU MUST BE A LEADER; IF YOU MUST SUCCEED AND MAKE IT – IT’S A WARNING. And if anyone calls you leader of tomorrow, reject it, and tell the person that you are a leader of TODAY – today is alive, tomorrow has no end. If this continues, all the potential leaders will grow old and join their ancestors, while tomorrow keeps its journey of no destination. But if today is viewed as a day when one should emerge to take the bull by the horn, ‘jallikattu’ would be an easy game, and hope drops a better rain.

Youth – you are the leader of today, not tomorrow!       

  

  

HAVE YOU CRIED TODAY? - by Onyeuche Godson

It is allowed to cry

Many think that crying is an expression meant for kids alone, or any other who might be considered as a weaker vessel. That is not true. Anyone can cry, irrespective of your status, height, age, position or what have you; it’s allowed. If you have not cried for a while, you are missing out, and you need to cry for that which you have held back. When you cry, it doesn’t mean you are no longer a GENTLE MAN OR A VIRTUOUS LADY, neither would crying make you worthless. It is only pride that could make anyone not to cry when the need arises, and it shows an act of self-denial of natural expression, especially when it’s worth it.

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SHEDDING TEARS AND CRYING and that is where misconception steps in, where many think that crying is all about shading tears, which has put them in a state of stagnant-devastation, and community-of-a-nonentity

CRYING is simply an outpour of broken pieces of one, to be made whole, and completely wholesome. While shedding TEARS is the outpour of some liquid substances from your lacrimal gland.

And while shedding tears does nothing to add to your wholesomeness, crying does. You can also agree that one can cry without shedding tears, and vice versa. This is to say that misunderstanding and misinformation of what these two term are have kept many where they should have stepped out from, by now.

You need to cry out. IT TAKES VOICE TO CRY OUT, and not some liquid substances that could come from wherever it may, yet got nothing to add, but to remove. It takes sincerity to cry out, and humility to back it up. It takes transparency for one to cry out. And you cannot cry out when you think that you have to shed tears.

You are permitted to cry out to God and man; speak out so that you may be heard. Tell your stories to a friend and be helped. Don’t keep it to yourself. Inasmuch as the world has viewed itself as a place where it cannot help any and be helped, there are yet a few out there who can prove the world wrong.

If one isn’t able to help, another may. And for sure you cannot dust the particles on your rear body parts. You got to need someone to do that for you, else, you will remain having those particles on you – the heaviness of those will not let you move an inch in terms of being successful, great, victorious, and so on.

Crying – it takes different forms. God first, with a sincere heart and humble soul, – approach Him, and then listen to whom he would direct you to.

Cry out today, stop keeping quiet. How long will you keep being calm, and trusting that your fate will find you. Your fate will not find you if you don’t know how to make ways for your fate to fine you.  The said fate of yours needs to have a clear view of an uninterruptible path, so that it can find you, and that cannot happen when you keep calm.

That which you needed to have cry for is still around waiting to hear your voice, and until you blow your trumpet, nothing will happen; Matthew 7:7 justifies it all.  

Note that this is not a product, but a process. May be you had blown your trumpet or have cried for a while, and stopped. No, that’s not it. You have to continue this DAILY, and COUNTLESSLY as you can. Someday, your voice is going to be heard.

Let not shyness stop you

Let not laziness stop you

Let not pride stop you.

Let not bias mindset stop you.

Let not family, friends, or even you stop you.

You can only stop yourself, nothing else. So start now to cry if you have not.         

'What a man can do, a woman can do better', they say. But WHAT A BIRD CAN DO, NEITHER MAN NOR WOMAN CAN DO – IRONY

I STUMBLED UPON THESE BIRDS TODAY

                                         

I stumbled upon these birds today, seeing through their jolly and smiling faces. They hopped around the cage, as I watched them carefully. These birds didn't have any hope of coming out of the cage, I wouldn't know, though I thought. However, they had been piercing through the tiny hole to make a way for themselves, but nothing happened - the holes were so tiny that they could not house them out.

These birds, though had no future I could say, remained the future for themselves, and the hope for each other. This is because, while I was still smiling at their displays, one of them needed help, as some particle clung on its head. It was funny that the affected bird didn't know that such thing was resting on its body.

I continued watching – slowly, and cheerfully, the neighbour-bird had to go close to the other, in order to help remove those particles. Surprisingly, she used her beak to pick those-things-eye-can't-see off from the other. That's kind of you lady, I smiled.

Then, I began to wonder that, even at their situation, being in a cage, they could still be each other's brother's keeper - That's wonderful! Prior to my view of them, they would have been helping each other with one thing or the other, and are still living together as one; united, and happily hopping around the little space they were given.

In a flash of light, something came to my thought – if mere birds could see through the need of each other, while in an ugly situation, how much more humanity?

So, I realize that humanity are responsible for each other’s downfall, and tend to judge and blame each other for every little challenge they pass through, without seeking for solution in one accord.

Often times, men struggle with the notion;

WHAT A MAN CAN DO, A WOMAN CAN DO BETTER, and vice versa.

But it is quite shameful that what an ordinary bird can do, man and woman can’t do, or can, but WILL NOT do. Isn’t that ironical, or better funny to the ears?

Well, the message is, no matter what your situation may be, help anyone at the moment if you can. Don’t blame others for your situations, and use that for an excuse why you would not help another, or hold back not to help because someone didn’t help you. 

Most a times, it is this way;

‘Help, and you shall be helped’

Among those birds, one initiated the help-activity, by which the other learnt. This is to say that two cannot initiate a thing at once. It could however be difficult to start, but the case remains that one has to start it – start to be kind, despite your ugly situation – the economic bites, societal cum political abuse, family issues, discrimination, fights, quarrels, gender bias, religious-whatever, and so on. These are the dark cotton which would never let you see the need to help another.  

Do not let pride lock the soft path of your humility, as you join the competition of; ‘who would be the first to become humble, or help?’

This is the ugly situation of the world today. Remember, if you do not consent to think twice in regards to the above, know that;

‘What a man can do, a woman can’t do, and vice versa’, and; ‘What a bird can do, man cannot do’. Then, how do you intend to fight the Goliath, lion and the wolves of the world?

   

A DAY TO REMEMBER! - NOT A STORY, BUT REALITY

A talk with these students was educative – they learnt from me as well as I did from them.

The students; listening attentively 

It happened at Mahatma Montessori Matriculation Higher Secondary School AlagarkoilResidential, Madurai – India. The school Authority has taken bold steps towards broadening the intellectual, as well as potentials of these kids, by attracting International personalities from America, Africa and some others to educate them on various International relations/bodies and foreign experiences. This is what few school would find time to do, but this particular school is among the few exceptional which are ready to do positive possibilities to let their kids be at the top, in this present time and in the future

I was welcomed at the resident on Monday, 8 January, 2018 to lecture these student on the basics of Aviation, travelling experiences, the importance of exploring new cultures and lifestyle in general. It was indeed a turn-up of interpersonal interaction, and a platform of free airing of views with them. Seeing through their silent voices of curiosity, I understood that they are students who are eager and willing to learn; as some, if not all anticipate to go beyond their native places – what a wonderful preparation at 9^th grade at school. ‘Kudos!’ I could say to Mahatma Montessori Matriculation Higher SecondarySchool Alagarkoil.

I have visited few school around the city of Madurai, but this one gave me what I needed – the feedback and reciprocation of intelligible thoughts and interrogations, their fluency in speech, and kin dedication in the exercises. They made my assignment easy and simple. This commendation is to let others schools around the world learn from this one.

Map reading...

The steps of giving young minds what they need at early age would definitely make it much easier for them to realize their stand and their carrier in life. They have packaged a well-designed project for the students to explore while in class. This is to say that school is not a just a place to bug the kids with complicated works and assignments which would make them lose interest in studies, but a place to also travel round the world while in classroom. This is usually practical, and not theoretical. And that is why the school has decided to invite foreign teachers and speakers to their school to give lectures on the world outside theirs.

You can see us reading map of different routes and regions of flight locations.

Finally, friendship and mutual understanding were the outcome of the day’s project with these kids; while we exchanged pleasantries, and ideas of familial togetherness. Their warm welcome remains the pavement towards accepting their second invitation soonest.

And from me, I appreciate them for having me speak and lecture these students. It is a day to remember!        

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR?

MARY DIDN’T KNOW…

This lyrics is educative. It is morally eloquent to teach you what you never can tell would be. Just take a look at this Christmas song:

…Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day walk on water?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?

These lines where originally sang by Pentatonix – an American a cappella group from Arlington, Texas, consisting of vocalists Scott Hoying, Mitch Grassi, Kirstin Maldonado, Kevin Olusola and Matt Sallee.

Reading through these lines, you would observe that Mary truly didn’t know that she would bring forth a fruit – Jesus Christ, who is not only just a fruit, but a fruit of blessing to the world – What an honour!

She didn’t know that her son would walk on water. Now, what does that means – walking on water? It’s not just walking on water as it seems in the ears. It is more than what mere thoughts can tell. It is more than mortals can imagine, isn’t it? Okay. Jesus walked on water, that’s amazing. But the centre message here lies on His earthly mother – MARY. She wouldn’t have imagined that she could bring forth a fruit like Jesus Christ, let alone bring Jesus Himself. This is GREATNESS, HONOUR, PRIVILEGE, BLESSING AND ABOVE ALL, GLORIOUS IN THE SIGHT OF SPIRITS AND MAN.

Mary didn’t yet know that her son would one day save the entire world – died on the cross, and brought salvation. Isn’t that yet overwhelming? It is right?

But that doesn’t end there. It is not as though Mary was just picked from anywhere and made the mother of Jesus Christ. She would have done something that warranted her this honour and privilege. Mary didn’t just close and open her eyes and see herself as the mother of the Jesus.

The question is, what did she do?

Look at what happened in the Holy Bible, in the book of LUKE 1:26 and 27. It is clearly reported that when Angel Gabriel met Mary in Nazareth, he met not just Mary. He met two people – MARY AND VIRGINITY. First, Mary was just like any other woman out there, or could it be said that any woman is just like Mary before she was met by the Lord. But, on the other hand, any other woman cannot be like the VIRGINITY of Mary or rather in her – that is the key. She was not just like any other woman when viewed in Virtue-perspective. 'Mary is an exception'. Her virtue spoke for her in the later times of her life – bringing forth a fruit she didn’t know that would become the Saviour of mankind, wow!

Her Virginity here is not just the virginity of the flesh, but that of the SOUL AND PERSONALITY as well. She was a lady with integrity, virtue, highly spirited in humility and in the love of God. In the same Luke 1:30, she is said to have found favour in the sight of God. And before one could find favour in the sight of God, it is not a joke. One must have sacrificed something that is costly to be favoured by God. Yet, as many as desire His favour can still find it, especially this year, 2018.

What are your efforts now?

Would you like to sing your own song in 2018, placing your name in the place of Mary’s, and ask, ‘Did I know…?’

It is a thing of joy to say, ‘I never knew that I will be blessed and honoured like this’, than to say, ‘Had I known. I should have done this like this or like that to be honoured’.

If Mary didn’t keep her virginity of the flesh, soul and personality, she wouldn’t have found favour in the sight of GOD. So, for you, are you really keeping you own virginity of flesh, soul and personality, in order to be favoured in 2018 – what are your plans like? What are you thinking for year? What have you crafted out as to your spiritual and moral goals in 2018? Or are you just smiling to the aroma of Christmas, and new year?

Many would remain in 2017 while 2018 continues, even up to the end of it. Well, that's not your portion

But inasmuch as you've rounded up 2017, think, plan and pray to be favoured in 2018 like Mary.

All the best – Still on the Christmas, and new year celebration, God bless you, and remain favoured!                  

Human Packaging Industry – WHO WORKS HERE?

What is packaging?

Originally, this words is meant for business engagements of packing into box, containers, shaping and getting ready for SALE of any product. Maybe, that could be simple definition, and may have a better one.

However, the question and lesson to be learnt from this place is – how has human packaging turn humanity into products?

You see people, while human packaging is the order of the day, in order to be among the happening personalities in town, it is done out of immaturity and childishness. You know why? Originality is sincerity, and if anyone has never learnt how to be original or sincere, such person is still a kid (you are free to prove this wrong).

On the other hand, those who think that packaging is the right thing to do in order to soar higher in disguise, it is actually a disguise of misuse of oneself, and hiding behind the scene of fake life. It is purely fake, and that is not you.

The worst thing ever that can happen to anyone is to become nothing from something, and be reduced from human-humanity to human-product. Do you actually know what human-packaging is in the right senses? It is nothing but selling yourself by letting yourself to be manufactured from nothing by yourself, packing yourself into nothing by you and giving yourself nothing, all by you. This is the business engagement whereby you are both the manufacturer and the seller, while your industry remains what could be seen as ‘LIABILITY-OF-NO-ASSET’.

It is obvious that those who package themselves are those who really need to be helped, but are ashamed to be sincere.

What do you actually gain from packaging?

Nothing.

Your packaging would have once, twice or more made you miss that great opportunity or whatever award it could be, because you refused to show your real self in order to be helped by a friend – he or she assumes that you are really well-to-do person, while in the actual sense you are not what you are.

You have gained shame at last while packaging – nothing that is packaged in life, be it a product or human-product that would not be unpackaged. So a day will come when you will be unpackaged, and you know what that means – to reveal who you truly are, and that shames you at last. If it hasn’t occurred to you yet, don’t assume that your case is different. This world is a small world, so you cannot live a packaged life forever. Even though you an expert, one day you will get married, and your spouse would have to contend with you.

PACKAGING IS AS GOOD AS BLOWING OFF YOUR LIGHT, and why do that to yourself? Most people pray ceaselessly against what is after them – this is very dangerous especially while you pray against something you are the cause. You can’t package yourself in a box where there is no light and expect light to come your way. Things that are hidden remain hidden until they are unpackaged. Even when you go to the mall or shop to get a product, sometimes some products are doubted beyond packaging. This is to say that no matter how nice and attractive they look, there is this string of doubt that may arise in your mind, which persuades you for a sample. And if you can’t reach the sample, you would probably lose the courage to buy that product.  

The same thing is applied to all men. You got to unpack your human-package so that your helper would have good sight to see you clearly and know where to start to help you. If not, your packaging would always scare them, as they would assume that you are the wrong person to be helped, while in reality and inside of you, you are desperate for help.

Just a take people, and thanks for reading.

 

'WHITE TALE' BEHIND THE FOURTH WALL THEATRE – American College Madurai - Onyeuche Godson

English Literary Association (ELA) – The Department of English, American College, Madurai

Hear what He got to say

You would of have heard of Fourth Wall Theatre of American College, or probably your first time. And in case you’ve heard about it, there are tales regarding the theatre which are called WHITE yet to be known, and the story is narrated here. The questions one should ask himself or herself is,

What is this tale I’m yet to know?

First, the community of theatre has got to an era when its exhibition is beyond mere entertainment, and fun. In this present time, theatre and stage plays have come to stay and to fix a thread of million reconciliation of conflict in the society, as well as the global village. This is to say that stage plays have touched lives through purgation of emotional tension, known as catharsis. Tragedy as seen in plays is not meant to break the heart of audience, or to put them in fears; but to help them understand the meaning of life in its totality, in order to be cleansed from their negative and as well as inhuman aspect of life, and by so doing they are psychologically transformed which help one to see the good side of life, and to follow it as well. This is one of the functions of play (tragedy). 

In regards to the above, it is therefore important that people have view of stage plays, as moral life, and one-sided story of life will never remain the same. In case you have a nature of ‘theatre-not-my-thing’, you have not stepped into the other side of life, as the art and act of literature is purely centered in the totality of human life of all creeds, culture and traditions.      

Coming to Fourth wall theatre, American College;

It all started from nothing to something, from ‘play-play’ to ‘serious-play’, and from zero wall to Fourth Wall.  In the early 1980’s the Oberlin Shansi (An International Exchange Programme House), in the campus of American College had its exchange programme students stage plays – mostly comedy, which was then directed by Professor J. Vasantha (A music/drama Critic and excellent Director), who was a Professor of English in American College. Mr. N Elango (Head, Post Graduate & Research Department of English, American College), the Founder and Director of Fourth Wall Theatre was a student of Mr. J. Vasantha then. He worked as a stage Manager, under the theatre group of Mr. Vasantha known as The Curtain Club.

The Curtain Club staged mostly comedies of British Writers, such as Oscar Wilde, Bernard Shaw, etc. Thereafter, Mr. Elango after passing through the institution became an Assistant Professor in American College in 1986, and formed the Fourth Wall Theatre in 1987. The fourth Wall started with plays both in Tamil and English languages, and excelled handsomely in classic plays in 1995 through the head work of Triad – the group of three in one Association. Their first classic play to be staged was Hayavadana by Girish Karnad in 2003 (ran for 12 shows). Other staged plays are as follows;

• The Zoo Story by Edward Albee – 1996; perfomed in Pegasus – Cultural event of the English Department, American College.
• In 2004, Shakespearean drama started – A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Merchant of Venice, Macbeth, and As You Like It.
• In 2010, Eugene O’neill’s The Hairy Ape
• The Bear by Anton Chekhov
• Then, The Twelfth Night

Casts of Hamlet at work to keep the script in the head - October, 2017 

The journey of the Fourth Wall continued in its theatric generation, and brings unique light of White Tales till date. Obviously, the Fourth Wall was the first theater to stage Shakespearean drama in the whole city of Madurai, which drew the attention of great number of audience with 50, 000 students. It ran 12 shows, with 2 shows daily. And talking of earlier stage plays, Hamlet will make the eighth Shakespearean play to be staged by the Fourth Wall Theatre.   

Mr. N. Elango, Director, Fourth Wall Theatre - AMC.

In an interview with the Founder and Director of Fourth Wall, Mr. N. Elango, on Wednesday, 4^th October, 2017; he states that this year’s play (HAMLET) to be staged from Monday, 9^th to Saturday, 14^th October, 2017 is birthed in order to draw attention to human relationship – family and friends. According to him, as we cultivate soil, the human relationship should as well be cultivated. He further illustrates that cultivation cannot do in human relationship, but should be consciously and carefully nurtured. His question is,

What then is human relationship, and can it be taken for granted? –To be answered by the casts, through their artistic recreation of Hamlet, so be there!

Furthermore, He says,

‘Human communication has become inadequate to conserve human relationship’. 

As a result, it is important that the audience out there come to see this year’s play (Hamlet), in order to let them feel what human relationship truly is, and how it can be cultivated and nurtured. His message extends that the theatre stage is highly beneficial, and that cast and characters got to deliver a strong message to be interpreted by them, as well as the audience.