Just My View: Aren't We Humans Dispensable?

Ojo Oluwaseun

ojooluwaseunridwan@gmail.com

Talking Of a Breathing Space. 

My friend just came back from Lagos few days ago. I was very glad to see him after a six-week of being apart. Upon sighting one another, we called each other those names that are peculiar to us. We laughed, hugged and laughed a lot more and more. We started talking immediately he arrived and the discussion was as soul-pleasing as always. 

I missed him a lot and I told him. I have written him on WhatsApp how much I have missed his presence. He said the same to me. Not long after his arrival when he complained about my look. My cheek bone has shown. I looked lean and stressed. He didn't ask why because he knew.

Our culture whenever one of us is not around is an exchange of emails. Although we rarely communicate because we usually see that time as a breathing space. Someone want to be absolutely in charge and this is only usually possible when one of us is not around. Making things happen by oneself without someone's view to consider is sometimes nice 

No one to ask about what and when to cook or eat, no discussion whether at the right or wrong time, you have the whole bed to yourself with no sharing, do some other things you won't be able to do in the presence of your friend (and roommate), like; placing of plate on the bed after eating or using the whole plates to eat and using of all pots to cook before washing them and others like that. You have time to think with total concentration, with no distraction like when someone might open the door. You won't have to put earpiece on to listen to morning Quran recitation or News on Sobi FM in the early morning because your friend is still in bed.

This, we really need it, once in a while in our lives. I crave it just as my friend do. Another thing is that, privacy will bring with it some frustrating effects. Sometimes I would have to take a walk to clear my head, and if my friend has been around, a few minutes discussion would have worked. I do many things alone which usually make it extra ordinarily boring. Sleeping in bed alone during the early days of his being away was strange. I looked more serious than usual for no jokes and boisterous laughter to soften my look. Breathing space was becoming choking.

Some People May Be Indispensable.

In our lives, we always have some people who we hold dearly. These people occupy a respectable space in our hearts and sometimes we believe they contribute to the balanced working of our healths and state of minds. The affections we have for them make us think that without them we won't be okay, or even be fully alive. We always cherish these people and we regard to them as ours. 

The truth is as human beings, we are created to adapt. Whatever encounter we face will transmit us into another befitting personalities that will fit every phases we found ourselves. Absence of those who used to be there for us won't take away our minds. We may miss them. Surely, we will. But the truth is, if they leave, fine... we will live fine.

A young man who is closer to me is graduating this year and so, he had parked away from our area. He has become like a brother to me. He's always available whenever I am in need of him. We talk whenever I feel like talking. I visit him. He visits me too and our meeting is always fruitful in term of ideas and new knowledge. We disagree sometimes and we argue sternly on some topics but there's always these things that are always binding us together. 

My room mate and I visited him to charge our phones, to play ludo, to get movies, to eat when things get dried on our side, to talk politics, literature and academy, cook our yet-to-be-done food when our gas finished unannounced. He gave Money sometimes, even food stuffs, especially garri. We iron at his place as well. He's nice and he is the only one I can describe as I just have done. No one else, not even closer to that. 

He's graduating and we will still be in school, still charging our phones somewhere else sometimes when we have power cut, still get garri somehow when in need, still talk about things we wanted to talk about with some other people, we still find alternative when our gas finish in the middle of cooking. We miss him more in his absence, but we get to live on. Is that not it? Now next is,

The Need To Be Humbled.

Back to human natural adaptation power. Despite loads of things that the said brother has been doing for us, although we miss him but, we still live. So, this is for you, no matter what impact you may think you're making in people's live, try to be humble. You're dispensable, you're replaceable. Even like a trahs if you fumble, you're disposable. You're just one of many other best creations of God. So where is need to be rude? Show me because I can't find it. 

Some people believe some particular persons are their heartbeats but their heart still beat after those people's demise. That's us - human. We will forget our pains, calamities and we will adapt to whatever new normal that present itself. Adaptation. Change. Humans. Believe me, you can't find one of those words without either of other two not afar.

Using myself as an example, whenever my friend is around, he would have to validate my dressing before I leave hostel. He will look at my tie and say "can you change that tie?" Like "your underwear is showing beside your neck, put it inside properly". Even, base on the type of occasion I was attending, he would have to suggest that I change the dress completely, which I always comply. Despite the fact that I have looked at the mirror, he's beyong that, he could see what mirror can't. He's my best friend. (Opeyemi - if you're reading this, thank you!)

But believe me, when he's not around, I still get dressed nicely. Although there was an occasion when I was attending an official place. I had to call him asking him which clothe should I put on. He suggested and I complied. So, despite his usefulness to me and my foundnesss for him, each of us would leave without the other. 

I don't know how to end this write-up, I'm sorry. But I have to end it anyhow, now let me jus put a full stop.

Eeni:

I went through an old book last week and when I jumped into the pool of it, I felt like telling you this.

You see, when talking of rebellion, we have to get this straight; if the action succeed, some people among us are going to become somehow someday like those we're rebelling against. Even some people are part of rebellion because of hunger for positions which those we're rebelling against do hold. They too, want that kind of power so as to grab an opportunity to traumatize our lives. 

If you too would like to take a bite, it's fable: Animal Farm by George Orwell.

New words I have learned:

Mellifluous: Flowing like honey. Or,

Sweet, smooth and musical; pleasant to hear (generally used of a person's voice, tone or writing style).

For example, oh! Ojo's piece is mellifluous.

Pique: a sudden feeling of annoyance or anger when someone has offended you.