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Choose wisely that you may not regret in future!

Columnists
“Men cease to interest us when we find their limitations. The only sin is limitation as soon as you once come up with a man’s limitations, it is all over with him,” observed Ralph Waldo Emerson. You can do more that can be imagined. Your imagination is the rightful tool to your destiny.

“Men cease to interest us when we find their limitations. The only sin is limitation as soon as you once come up with a man’s limitations, it is all over with him,” observed Ralph Waldo Emerson. You can do more that can be imagined. Your imagination is the rightful tool to your destiny.

Motivation: STEVE NYAMBE

The sacrificial husband

A story is told of a poor couple that had just wedded. They lived on a certain farm. Because of the poverty they were languishing in, the husband had to do something. He had to come up with something that could really help his family.

The loving husband went to his wife with a little proposal which he thought would take them to the brighter side of life. Remember there were newly weds, who were just unfortunate not to enjoy their honeymoon days together.

The husband then said, “Honey, I will leave you. I will travel far away to get a job and work hard in order to come back and give you the comfortable life that you deserve. I don’t know how I will travel.” The sweet and humble wife didn’t resist the husband’s noble idea. She just agreed. It could have been a difficult decision for this young wife.

The young man then left. He walked for some days until he got to a farm where his services were needed. He talked to his boss and terms of employment were agreed upon. He proposed that he would work but he did not want his salary right away.

He was going to work while the boss help him keep his money. He also said, however when he felt he wanted to go, the boss was to release all his savings upon his request. He worked for 20 years without holidays. This was done so that he could realise something tangible.

The 20-year working journey

After that he approached his boss to get his dues and wave him goodbye. To him it was time up. He felt he had done enough.

The boss said, “Alright, after all I made a deal with you and I will stick to it. However, before you go away, I have an offer, I will give you all your money and send you away or I give youth three pieces of advice and send you away without any payment. If I give you money, you lose three pieces of advice. If I give you the advice, you lose the money. Now go to your room and think about it.” If it were you what were you going to do? Were you going to take the money or the valuable advice?

He went and thought about it, until he got the answer.

The man then said, “I want three pieces of advice.” This meant he was going to lose all his life savings. How was his wife going to take it?

The boss started his story. He said, first always remember “never take short cuts in life. Shorter and unknown paths can cost your life.”

He went and further said secondly, “never be too curious, for curiosity towards evil can be deadly.”

Then lastly the boss said, “Never make decisions in moments of anger or pain, because when you repent, it could be too late.” The discussion went on well.

After this wise teaching, he then gave his departing employee three loaves of bread. The two loaves were to be eaten while on the journey. The remaining one was for him and his wife to eat together.

Trying moments

The man went on his journey. After a day’s travel, he met another man. The man greeted him and asked him where he was going. He replied, “To a place whose distance may take 20 days if I continue walking.”

The man said to him, “Oh boy, this path is too long! I know a shortcut that is very safe and you will arrive in five days only.” The man took the advice and walked for some distance. Then he remembered what he had been advised. He abandoned the short route and he went back to take his long route.

However, days later, he learnt that the short cut led to an ambush. Imagine this could have been the end of his life.

Then the man continued with his journey. After some days, he got to a place where there were some rooms. He decided to rest there. He got a place to sleep overnight.

During the night, he heard terrifying screams. The man arose and went to the door to check. As he stood up, he remembered his second advice: never to be curios. So he thought it wise to go back and sleep.

The following day, the owner asked him if he had heard some noise, the man said, “Yes.”

He was asked, “Were you not curious?” “No, I wasn’t.” Then the host said, “You are the first guest to leave this inn alive. My neighbour is completely crazy.

When some of the guests come out, he kills them and buries their bodies in the backyard.”

The man continued and arrived at his home at night. When he got home, he saw that his wife was not alone. She had a man that she was caressing. He just wanted to rush in and kill the two. But something hit his mind. Third advice, “Never make a decision in moments of anger!

He opened the door. That’s when the wife said, “Meet your 20-year-old son. When you left, I realised I was pregnant.

Here is our boy, he is now 20. What if he had acted out of anger and killed the two? What if he had not controlled his temper and never paid attention to what the wiseman had said?

After talking, he gave his wife the remaining loaf. She took the loaf. While slicing the pieces, she realised that there were dollar notes tucked in, which were equivalent to more than what he had worked for.

He got more than he had bargained for after considering the pieces of wisdom. Sometimes it pays to choose wisely. Choose wisely that you may not regret in future. It can be done. Be blessed.

Steve Nyambe is a motivational speaker and leadership coach. He can be contacted on +263 784 583 761 or email: [email protected]