I
attended a training programme recently where 'Organizational Health &
Safety' was part of the topics discussed. It was structured to be participatory
where one could be called at random to answer a question posed by the session
leader. But inasmuch as we were provided with a notepad and a pen, I somehow
'forgot' to jot down some points. The leader realized but said nothing - or
asked no question which could have 'embarrassed' me. I was just listening (or
intermittently lost in thought).
After
about 45 minutes, he saw me writing and walked over. He had said something that
struck a chord in me. It was a phrase security agencies like the CIA use often.
He saw what I wrote, looked at me 'some
way bi', and asked almost inaudibly why that was the only thing I had
written so far. I smiled wryly, but said nothing. After the lecture, he walked
to me and said: young man, I will be waiting to read what your thoughts are on
that one-liner you jotted down. Noticing my quizzical look, he smirked and
intimated that he was an ardent reader of my posts here on Myjoyonline. I let
out what many describe an 'annoying laughter' and thanked him, after which he
offered some nuggets and we parted ways.
The
one-liner, "when you see something, say something...and when you say
something, do something" was very profound, my mind was immediately
transported back to the training from wherever it was. I saw the truism in this
statement and I deemed it fit to use it to reecho a point I made in an earlier
post.
Dear
reader, we all have something laid on our hearts - an inordinate passion we all
harbour in our bosom. That which we see each time we close our eyes to catch
some sleep. But it is not enough just visualizing it. We need to go a step
further to write it down or even speak it each day repeatedly, so it inspires
us each time the words reverberates in our hearts.
And
if we left it at that, won't the world consider us dreamers
and mere talkers? Isn't the world full of them? Aren't we friends with some of
them? Would you be comfortable with that description? Unless you are the
biblical 'Joseph the dreamer', you can't afford to just dream.
We need to do everything it takes to flesh it out - anything legal and
permissible, I must add. It must see the light of day before you are lowered
down into the grave or cremated.
No
one [really] pays attention to the dreamer nor the talker, but the doer
commands a great deal of respect. The vision of the former is 'hanged, drawn
and quartered' eventually. It is the latter that is celebrated, even by his greatest
critics.
I'm
Paa Kwesi Bentum 'Biskit' Williams,
and when I see something, I'll say something. And when I say something, I will
do something. Like Nike, I’ll JUST DO IT (in billionaire Arthur Williams'
voice).
Have a wonderful, fruitful week.
More Vim...Let's Go
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