Good evening guys,
I just thought to share this lovely piece with you. Enjoy!
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How do you prefer your
bath water? Hot or cold?
I like mine cold. I really do. I
bath with cold water every single day, in and out of seasons.
Okay, once in a blue moon, I take hot
baths, mostly for
medical experiments and sometimes for the thrill of change.
But, most of the time, I don't care. Sometimes, the weather can become so cold, you'd think God dropped an iceball on ya. Especially during harmattan.
Those mornings when everywhere is white with mist descending from the sky to the ground. If you are outside Africa, just think about your winter.
I used to hate it.
Back in the days, I'd just stand in the bathroom and spend a long time playing out the effect of taking a cold bath. I'd go through all the motion of that shock one experiences as a result.
I'd imagine what kind of life this was, with me having to punish my young self with this cold bath. I'd resent the cold bites I would get as the cold water hit my warm body.
Goose bumps would break out all over my body. And out of my body would rise a steam as if you poured water on a hot iron. Damn! The temptation to grab a bucket of hot water would hold me in bonds. Maybe it's fear.
Meanwhile, as I continued delaying, imagining the suffering I was about to go through, the bath water gets colder. Thinking about it never really helped. If anything, it made things worse.
After a while, I'd realise I was getting late for school. Only then would I finally "screw it!" and take the darn bath. It's not exactly like I would die of cold bath, or would I?
"5 dead, 3 injured in Abuja due to cold bath". Reported by no news reporter ever. So, screw the whole thing and bring the damn water!
But one thing always follows. Immediately you got off the fear and poured the water, the shock sets in. For a while, you just cringe. Argh!!!
Then, you feel no shock again. Why? Your body quickly rises to the challenge. Your body temperature goes up. It's nature's way of keeping things stable.
Right there and then, you conquer cold. By the time you start throwing more of the cold water on your body, it just seemed normal. No big deal at all.
You see, exposing yourself in the world, starting something meaningful and sharing your story can be like having this cold shower.
It's not exactly like it would kill you or something, but you don't feel ready. You dread the shock and reactions that might follow.
But let's answer this question, shall we?
What kind of story stands out for you? What kind of person draws you in so much that you start seeing part of yourself in them?
We all have our taste, sure. But, no matter your taste, I can bet that it usually has something to do with the person exposing themselves.
The kind of story where the person talks about stuff that most other people would find themselves awkward to reveal.
When someone allays their fears and tells you things about themselves that you haven't found the guts to tell yourself about yourself...
I don't know whether it's the shock that they could be that audacious. Or maybe you are just so shocked to find your own reflection staring back at you through those stories like a mirror.
But the truth is that, we all connect more with those people who expose themselves. Those who give of themselves this way to feed us all.
Everyone has their fears. But when we see people who risk political incorrectness, society disapproval, ridicule and all those stuff, and still go on to share their goodness, something in we reaches out to them because they are the "we", we really aspire to be.
Worry free, Carefree, Just free.
So, my question is this: What is the problem? Why can't you be that person? Beyond talks and all. Why can't you be the shocker instead of the shocked?
Why don't you try exposing yourself more to others, getting more vulnerable, talking about your journey, sharing your struggles, your pain, your growth and your victories?
Would you die?
I think we need more of those people who are ready to speak their truth. Beyond hiding behind sweet quotes on social media. Beyond some false status you haven't really earned yet.
Beyond the intimidation of what other people are apparently doing already that you haven't started yet, or the height they've scaled that you keep comparing yourself to, which eventually makes you look bad in your own eyes and too scared to push...
Even though you are not even sure if those people were really telling you the truth about themselves or just another fakeass celeb showing pictures of cash and fast cars...
You know another thing I found out about the cold bath? If you get tempted and take a hot bath, you just made things a lot worse.
Your body would drop in temperature and you will come out of the colder than when you went in. You know why? A fake heat won't keep you hot for long.
So, start exposing yourself. Go on and tell your OWN story as it is. Not as the world wants to hear it, sweetened and "autotuned", but as real as it is. The true story, in your own light. No rules but yours.
I assure you the right people will connect with your story. You don't have to appeal to everyone. But you will connect with your own.
Because, somewhere in you, I am. Somewhere in you, we are. And, in seeing ourselves in you, you'll win our hearts.
Source : Tope Fabusola
