As a child, I hated going to Port Harcourt because of the traffic and with each passing day, I’d pray and hope my family there would relocate. To me, Port Harcourt traffic has no bearing; the ‘go slow’ as we call it, is highly unpredictable unlike Lagos’; less traffic when people are at work or school and weekends. Every trip made to Port Harcourt (PH) was a torture for me; a few times, we managed to escape with only an overheated engine.
As an adult, though I still dread trips to Port Harcourt, I’ve been able to understand the traffic better; maybe because: LIFE IS LIKE TRAFFIC.
Just like the start of my journey to Port Harcourt by road from Akwa Ibom State, a smooth road is ahead of me, well tarred, no port hole; it is the same way life’s journey is for most people. You have that great idea to change the world, make money, build a house, buy a car or start a business. You go on to plan and write your goals and vision.
I’m still on a smooth course till I reach PH. Behold; heavy gridlock! Cars are moving bumper to bumper, port holes on the road, cars overheating, bonnets running into boots, cars scratching each other; overtaking and taking with them your side mirror. Now that’s how the rest of your life plays out. Obstacles everywhere, plans you made failing, visions becoming blurred, targets not met, extra money unplanned for spent, low drive and temptation to quit.
So, I manage not to get hit in traffic or robbed, sadly the driver behind me won’t let me be; honking his horn and calling me names; a real case of road rage. Oh, did I tell you he goes further to tell me to go sell my car or park it if I can’t drive wild? Ok so another piece in life’s puzzle: Meeting people, who will stop at nothing to pull you down, telling you that you can never make it; nothing good can ever come out of ‘Samaria’.
Finally, I get to my brother’s house in PH. I forget how stressful it was getting there. We talk and laugh and talk some more.
Who would have thought that life can be so full of life for LIFE IS LIKE TRAFFIC. You’ll not get stuck forever, you might need to ‘go slow’ or advance little by little. Whatever happens, keep moving, and keep going until you get to your final destination.
Image Credit: Science Daily