It was the moment for
which everyone had been waiting all evening. The thunderous applause of the
excited crowd filled the air after the mayor made the announcement, “ Ladied
and gentlemen, it give me a great pleasure to present the Outstanding year
award to Dr. Femi Oluwole, jr., for his outstanding service to the community”
A well-built young man
arose to his feet and eye was on his as he walked confidently through the
podium. Sitting at the table he had left were his father Mr Femi
Oluwole Sr., and his mother,
Oluwaseun. This was the moment for which they had waited all their lives- to see their son become all they have
envisioned for him. As pride fills their hearts, they knew that no one in the
room could understand their sense of accomplishment, satisfaction and
fulfilment.
Mr. Oluwole had always
dreamed of being a medical doctor. While his son was still quite young, the
father had told him that he would do whatever it took to see that the son could become the doctor
the father had never been. Young Femi Oluwole parent had laboured at many jobs
over the years and had lived without the convenience of life just to make it
possible to see their son to attend medical school and to complete his
internship. This evening made those sacrifice worthwhile, as Femi junior now
brought honour and respect to the family.
As Dr. Femi stood on
the stage, holding the microphone, the crowd rose to their feet. Cameras
flashes and shout of adulation filled the room. Then, as the applause subsided,
silence filled the room. Everyone waited for the respond of the brilliant
doctor. For a moment the stood erect, posed to peak. Then his composure broke
and, with tears flooding his eyes, the young doctor pleaded with his parent in
a loud voice that mirrored the despair in his eye, “Please, Mom and Dad forgive
me. I am sorry, but I can’t go on.”
Everything I have accomplished and achieved during this year has been done
to please you, Dad, and to fulfil your life longed dreams. I have become what
you you wanted me to be, but I have never become who I am. “In spite of the
cars, home and other materials things I now have, my life is empty. I never
wanted to become a doctor like you did, Dad.in truth, I hate being a doctor. I
always wanted to be a Musician, but you
and Mom would not allow me to follow my dreams.
Please understand that I love you and respect
you deeply. I know all have sacrifice to provide me with my education, and I
thank you for it. But tonight I realized that I cannot continued living and
fulfilling your dreams and expectation. I must start fulfilling my own dreams.
When I accepted that award tonight, I felt like a hypocrite. Someone I don’t
even know earned that award because I don’t know myself. I want to live I want to come alive. I want to be with what I was born
to be. Please set me free and let me live
There are millions of
Femi Oluwole Jr.,in our world today. Perhaps you are one of them. They are
busy, active, dedicated, faithful, famous people who are accepted, respected,
revered and admired. But deep inside, they are tired, frustrated, bored,
disillusioned, confused, empty and depressed. Their lives are aimless. Day
after day they go on smiling, pretending and living uo to an identity and
reputation that is different from their true selves. The lie they live and
their inner yearning to be freed from the tyranny that binds them are a
constant source of internal conflict. This human need for personal meaning and
satisfaction is universal. Each of us
must discover this personal purpose and pursue it relentlessly, or we will fail
to live a rich, whole, meaningful life.
No
amount of accomplishment can replace the power and motivation of finding your
own special niche and working toward your dreams.
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