Category: ART DESK

Art Desk related posts

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Glorification of the Scare

Halloween

Alice: Have you picked out a Halloween costume?

Me: No Alice

Alice: Then what would you wear to the Halloween festival?

Me: Alice, I never said I was attending any festival not to talk of a scary festival.

Alice: Come on Edwina, don’t be a bore. Everyone in town is going, it’s usually fun and there’s even an award for best costume! You really should come. I’ll be dressed as Sally

Me: Sally from ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas?’

Alice: Yes! You know that movie? My goodness! Didn’t think anyone would remember it! Then, my husband would be dressed as Lurch and my son as Cousin Itt…

Alice my neighbour went on chattering about the costumes and her family’s plan for Halloween.

As I left Alice, I couldn’t help but wonder why the costumes have to be scary. Why would I want to attend a festival surrounded by scary appearances? I have a strong mind’s eye. Be rest assured those images will not leave my head anytime soon. I shall see them in my dreams, when I close my eyes, when I think, in my subconscious…

Again, I ask myself, ‘why should I scare my waking world?’

The portal of fear is one I wish not to open. Even with Psalm 23:4, I will still not walk through this dark valley, at least not consciously. It is important I keep my mind pure and set my eyes on things that edify my soul. For the justification for the glorification for the scare is still not convincing enough to lure me to celebration.

I’ll sit this one out and wait for the excitement of Mary’s boy child. I’m sure Alice would be hyped about the jingle bells and decorations.

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With a Heavy Heart…

With a heavy heart and total submission to the will of God, we regret to announce the passing away of our husband, father, brother uncle and friend, Late Architect Edikan Uwem, who slept in the Lord…

‘Eya, he must have been a good man’, Ejiro interjected with a sorry look on his face. ‘How do you know he was a good man Ejiro? Have you met him before?’, I asked, rather irritated. ‘He’s dead Bisola! The least you can do is sympathise!’. ‘Sympathise with who Ejiro? With the wife I’ve never met or the children I don’t know?’. ‘Bisola, what did this poor man do to you? Isn’t it sad that he’s no more?’. ‘Ejiro, I’m just surprised that all of a sudden, he’s a good man. Why do we even wait for people to die to say good things about them? I bet if you’d walked past the man on the road, you wouldn’t realise that he’s ‘so good’ a man as you say’.

Ejiro went quiet and he pondered on my words. I rose to take a seat beside him, taking his hands in mine. ‘I’m sorry if I sounded harsh. I only wish we could all love more, smile at people more, care more, appreciate people more while we still can and not when they are no more. I am guilty of not doing all these too so it’s a big boat and all of us are sailing on it’. Ejiro sat in silence as we listened to an aeroplane fly over at a distance.

Finally, Ejiro broke the silence. ‘Get dressed let’s go out for dinner’. ‘Wow! He’s taking me out in like forever! Today must be my Remembrance Day!’. ‘Don’t worry, you’ll live to die another day’, Ejiro responded. We let out a hearty laugh as I stood to get ready.

Endnotes

  • Edikan is a name common among the Ibibio tribe of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Edikan means victory.
  • Uwem is a name common among the Ibibio tribe of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Uwem means life.
  • The name, Ejiro, is commonly found among the Urhobo people of Nigeria, particularly those in Delta State. It is a short form of Ejiroghene, which means ‘praise God’. – AI Overview
  • Bisola (spelt as Bísólá) is a Nigerian unisex given name of Yoruba origin which means “born into affluence – Wikipedia

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I DARE YOU

Last night was a rather restless one for me. I grabbed my car key and headed out the door; I needed fresh air so bad, perhaps that would clear my head.

I drove round the relatively quiet city avoiding streets with no streetlights. Sooner than I thought, I got bored. ‘Up for a little adventure?’, I asked myself, and before I could respond, my hand pushed my gear to reverse.

Close by, there’s an underbridge that many feared to pass at night thanks to the ‘night children’ who will stop at nothing to harm you and steal whatever they can.

My central lock was activated and I was ready to speed off in case of danger. As I approached the first speed breaker, I could feel my heart in my mouth beating faster and loud like music from a woofer. Slowly, I climbed the speed breaker. Something caught my attention…

A woman was sleeping under the bridge, right there, close to the pillars supporting the bridge. I was still trying to wrap my head around the reason she’s out here on such a cold starless night when I sighted more people. One I couldn’t tell what sex used a sack bag for covering from cold. I saw a man sitting up straight with his back against the pillar, fast asleep.

My heart broke and a tear escaped. I wish I had a blanket to give them, some money and food but I had none. For safety, I had left my wallet at home…

As I made my way through the last speed breaker, I could only pray for tomorrow night to come when I would have a chance to lend a helping hand to those under the dreaded bridge.

Now, I’m not afraid to dare and take calculated risks. You should do the same sometime soon.

  •  Night children: Origin – Nigeria > A name given to criminals or people who carry out unlawful acts at night such as stealing.

Image Credit: Image by Ben Hummitzsch from Pixabay

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THE TUNNEL, THE WAIT, THE LIGHT

There are phases we all must go through; as far as life exists, there is no running from it. Deep down, we know those dark days will come but we choose not to acknowledge or believe ‘it can never be me’. The day you stop time is the day these days won’t come. Till then, what happens?

I propose you brace up for such days. I call them ‘THE TUNNEL’. It’s dark, lonely, long and scary; you most likely would be travelling through it alone. Here, you may be tempted to give up, angry, feel betrayed, weep, etc. But, whatever happens, don’t stop. Draw your strength from inside you, it’s there. Hang on to God, your entirety depends on Him. At this point, He’s all you’ve got. If you’re lucky to have a support system, you’re almost at the end of the tunnel. If not, find things to do that make you happy and remember, it’s OK to breakdown, you’re human. Just don’t stay there for too long and lose yourself.

‘THE WAIT’, oh goodness! Another episode! Faith is built, hopes are high, all pumped up BUT… it’s taking forever. Resist the temptation to slip into ‘THE TUNNEL’. It’s not your fault that you’re becoming impatient and all those bottled-up emotions are out again.  In all my Earth days, I haven’t met anyone who hasn’t been disappointed or anxious during ‘THE WAIT’; might be the fear of the unknown, pressure or previously dashed hopes. During ‘THE WAIT’, please, ‘WAIT’. Whatever good thing it takes, or how long, WAIT.

Truth is, many of us return to ‘THE TUNNEL’. If you do, you must find your way back to ‘THE WAIT’ because after ‘THE WAIT’ comes ‘THE LIGHT’.

Everything good will come

Image Credit: Britannica

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Dear Christians, (Pt.4)

Everything about the Christendom is not a competition. If you must compete, compete with yourself. Unhealthy competition is blinding. Even more blinding is the constant ill-checks to see what the other person is doing to ensure you’re doing better than them.

The energy you exert on keeping up with social media could be channelled into other useful life endeavours. I’m not writing to you from a place of perfection but as an alarm clock reminding you to constantly put this behaviour and conscience in check.

Agree with yourself today not to push your way to the front to the detriment of others. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage, for everything about the Christendom is not a competition.

Image Credit: The New York Times

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FOR PEARL

Have you ever wondered how something so rare, so fine, so admirable and so valuable can come out of an animal, a shelled invertebrate animal? All sorts of shades and colours: white, pink, silver, brown, blue, red, black, yellow, orange, gold and purple.

The most valuable pearls occur spontaneously in the wild they say, and you, you remind me of one. You may not be like the famous ‘La Peregrina – The Incomparable’ but you’re one in 10,000 wild oysters containing a pearl.

Whether wild or cultured, you’re different and special and the world loves you just the way you are. So, let us gather our pearls together and guard them jealously lest the pigs trample them under their feet.

Collectively, we can build a better society for every soul is unique, precious and valuable.

Image by pikisuperstar on Freepik

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LISTEN

Social media came bearing gifts; lots of pros and of course, cons. We envisaged a world becoming a global village and set off on the path to achieving it. Rapidly it has progressed, fully guided by the affordability of data.

Now, another reality is born…

People no longer read to understand and process varying views and opinions. Everyone is quick to state their point and buttress it. A varying opinion equates ‘an enemy’ who must be viciously attacked. People have become keypad warriors.

Away from the social media, people no longer listen. Hearing is not the same as listening. Everyone is quick to hear with the intent to reply and not to understand. We have to realize that it is not all about us. If you like to be heard, be rest assured that others like it too.

Start now to make a conscious effort to listen when others speak or you interact on social media. Always remember, we come from different backgrounds and have different orientations.

Be Tolerant.

Image Credit: 123RF

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WHAT IS YOUR TRUE FORM?

It’s so easy to get caught up in existence. The daily struggle to be who everyone wants and thinks you should be. You’ve probably gotten used to keeping up appearances but slowly, the real you fades away. Maybe it’s a tough call or a choice you have to make due to things that have happened to you or the benefits you gain from the dual appearances.

Maybe it’s OK; you wear those shoes and know better where it hurts. In all you do, always remember the real you; the kind, selfless, soft, loving you. That you you return to in the dead of the night when no one is around. That you casting a reflection when you stare at the mirror.

Remember, not everyone loves the sweet taste of apples or the tart taste of pineapples. Not everyone will like you for who you are. No one is perfect so live in your true form. People will come and go but the true ones stay. In all you do, don’t forget to live, love, cry, explore, laugh and be happy.

Image Credit: Hard Cider Reviews

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PRESSURE

Pressure! Sound familiar? ‘Your mates are doing well and you’re not. Your sister is married and you are still single. She is not even pregnant till now and she’s been married since’.

Pressure! Looks familiar? ‘Edidiong bought a Benz GLC last week. Okon built a duplex in Guzape some months ago. Kokomma posted pictures from Seychelles and Dubai’.

Pressure! Feels familiar? ‘I can’t afford the good things in life. I can’t buy the dress from CJ Allahandro. I can’t…’.

Pressure! Let off steam and breathe. You are doing just fine and there is room to be better; not to engage in fruitless tension and competition but to strive to be a better version of yourself.

The year unfolds before you. What you choose to do with it lies in the decision you make. Whatever you decide, don’t let the pressure of life get the best part of you.

Image Credit: Tech Tello