Liz was super excited. She was among the three people who had made it to the finals of a competition that had been running for four months. The competition dubbed “Who Is Lucky” involved competitors being picked from the three provinces of Lagoon Island. Each province was to send two finalists and out of the six, only three were to make it to the finals. This was to be decided with the competitors being taken through various challenges. At stake was a $1 million dollar prize. They had to amass points all through and the final tally was to be decided by votes from the public.
Liz was perfect through out and among the favourites to win. The final deciding test was very tricky. They were to get into a story building with three floors. One was to pick an item from one floor and exit but if you felt it was not good enough, you were allowed to move up to the next floor. What had been kept as secret to the competitors was that once you went up one floor, you couldn’t come back. It was one way up. The competitors went in one by one. Picked what they choose and followed the exit staircase which led way back to the auditorium. Liz was the last to go in. She looked at all the items on the first floor and said to herself “If the first floor is like this imagine what the second floor will offer? Without a second thought, Liz went up the stairs through a one way door which locked the moment she entered. She was in awe of all the splendour she saw. Greed took hold of her heart and mind and she couldn’t stop herself from bounding up the stairs to the third floor. As usual, the door locked behind her the moment she entered. But the shock on her face couldn’t be hidden when she entered the third floor; it was virtually empty. In a panic, she decided to go back to the second floor, only to realize it was a one way door. There was no handle, no knob and it was locked. On looking around, Liz saw another door and felt a glimmer of hope but upon opening it, it led to another winding staircase all the way down and out of the building and auditorium. She had just lost an opportunity of a lifetime. Her tears could do nothing to soothe the pain she was going through.
This might just be a story but when I look and observe people today, I see a replication of the same. People, especially the youth, are living very reckless lives without a care in the world. Experimenting with drugs, promiscuity of the highest order and dabbling in other risky and dangerous behaviours. Others have enjoined themselves in bad influence companies and contracting their dirty and dangerous habits. Many people have died deaths which, when carefully examined, are often the result of carelessness.
It is important to know that once a day passes in your life, it ts gone forever. If you don’t do what you were supposed to do, you may never get that opportunity again. We live only once and life is not like a video shoot where there is a “take two.” Its forward march all the way.
I conclude with the words of Mahatma Gandhi “Live each day as if it is your last and learn as if you will live forever.” We should treat every minute as if it is our last and give it our all, because the past is gone and tomorrow is a promise not an assurance. Do what is expected of you today and tomorrow, you won’t have any regrets. Remember, you pass here only once so do your best. To read more posts by Mwangi, click HERE
