Friday, 27 May 2016

LIFE LESSONS FROM MY BOY by Godwin, JP

“In my life, I’ve lived, I’ve loved,
I’ve lost, I’ve missed, I’ve hurt, I’ve trusted
I’ve made mistakes but most of all,
I’ve LEARNED!”
- Anonymous

 
Every day we learn from things around us and life has become a learning stage for me. It’s just so amazing some of the things I have learnt so far from my little boy. I’d wished I am the first or second child of my parents. It would have given me...
an opportunity to learn from my younger ones in the course of looking after their wellbeing. In our kind of environment, it’s normal for the older ones to look after the younger ones, when the parents are away.

A lot amazes me about kids which we ignore. I am a fan of every child, I don’t joke with them at all. They are my greatest fans. As my boy grows every day, I’ve kept a close study on him, trying to learn. A child can be your greatest inspiration if you don't look down on them.  

The fact that his birth was amazing to me, has really changed a whole lot about the way I view women and God. It thrilled me when I saw him coming out of his mum during labour. Life coming out of a life is an incredible miracle.

We always want to teach kids around us but forget the fact that we can also learn a lot from them. Some of the life lessons I have learnt from my boy as he marks his first Children's Day celebration:

STAY HAPPY
It doesn’t take anything to be happy. Each time I see Laughter, it looks as if life’s challenges doesn’t concern him. He plays at will and care less about the challenges; he is not even seeing them. They are already sorted out by his parents. Fuel scarcity or not is not his business; tomatoes scarcity or not is not his concern; NLC strike or jamboree does not bother him.

He just finds joy in every little thing. Each time he is awake, he hits me with his legs and when I turned, he laughs at me with that impression ‘JP, I am ready to play!’ He wants to have fun and always feel excited. He laughs and smiles when he sees people around me, especially when you try to tickle him. He only remembers the good times.

Happiness is a choice; you can choose to be miserable when everything seems not to go well and you can choose to be happy even when things seem right. For you to be happy at all times, you need to make happiness a habit and not just an act.

EXPLORE
As Eleanor Roosevelt puts it, "The purpose of life is to live it, to taste it, to experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”

I watch my boy grow every day; he always tries to twist his body from on angle to another on his bed; He can slide his body from one position to another. If I placed him at a position, you will never meet him there. He would have taken a different posture and he takes notice of everything.

It’s fun to take the time to notice the things around us and explore a little. Don’t be too much in a hurry, slow down. “Always do what you are afraid to do”, says Ralph Waldo Emerson. It is only in adventure that you can succeed in knowing yourself.

LIFE IS A WONDER, ENJOY IT!
My boy loves to see beautiful things. Colour catches his attention. For him, life is a treasure and full of wonder. The world is a beautiful place for him and a beautiful sight to behold.

The wonders of life are many, and sometimes it takes getting out of your “routine” to notice just what they are. Recently, we took a stroll and when Brian saw a chicken, he jumped with excitement. Thank God I held him so tight.

You can easily become tired or worn-out, but you must learn to live in wonderment more often. Life is too short for regrets, if you want to travel, travel. Enjoy life's wonders. Life is beautiful, stay beautiful!

DETERMINATION
Brian is never afraid. He can touch anything because he feels it is not harmful. When he decides to do something, he goes after it. He slides to reach out to anything he wants. Every day as I step out, I have learnt to set out to achieve my bigger goals. I am unstoppable!

He wakes up as early as 5:30AM; taps me with his legs and when I open my eyes to see my little prince, he just smiles back or laughs with excitement. It has become a routine for him.

What do you desire each day when you wake up? Are you expectant? Do you have a positive attitude about what the day holds, or do you feel like pulling the blankets over your head, dreading what awaits you outside your front door? Just like my little Prince, be determined and kill your FEARS! Go out there and make something happen.

BE CAREFUL HOW YOU LIVE EVERYDAY
I asked my wife a question ‘who taught Brian that night is for sleep and the day is for play?’ And she replies ‘He follows our pattern’. Children often grow up to mimic the behavior, beliefs, and attitudes of their parents.

Children whose parents smoke are more likely to smoke themselves. If parents abuse alcohol or drugs, their children are more likely to do the same. Children raised in homes that experience frequent domestic violence are more likely to either abuse their spouses or be abused by them. Adults who were abused as children are more likely to abuse their own children.

Be careful whose footstep and pattern you are following. And also be careful how you lead your life, eyes are always on you. Your lifestyle is being watched by people you seemingly do not know. Your life speaks a lot to the younger ones.

Choose role models that can lead you aright, pace you and inspire you.

HAPPY CHILDREN'S DAY TO ALL THE KIDS IN AFRICA.

Profile:
Godwin Okhawere, fondly called JesusParrot (JP) is a Comedian/Event Host, an ardent publicist and actor; A resourceful specialist in Media and Public Relations, Social Work, Brand Development, Copy writing and Publicity. He is very passionate about building reputation capital for people, business and organization; and loves to make people happy.

He has featured in movies such as 'Roadside' & 'Finishing Strong' and also featured in the television series 'Tinsel'.

Tweet @jptalkslive #JPTalks
IG: @jptalkslive


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