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When Okon applied as a gateman at my husband's work place in 2013, I noticed him almost immediately.

There was just something about him.

Maybe it was the way he greeted, cheerful, respectful, eyes bright like he had no worries in the world. Maybe it was how quick he was to learn, even though technically, he was just “the man at the gate.”

My husband was the branch MD then. We both worked in the same company. He was the MD, and I handled internal affairs. That’s how I first noticed Okon, the gatekeeper who never acted like one.

However, my husband is the type that believes everybody deserves to be treated with dignity, from the cleaner to the board chairman. And Okon? He mirrored that same energy, like he was carved from the same wood.

But what really struck me about Okon was how he carried himself.

While some gatemen used style to scan your dressing and weigh your pocket before hailing you with:

“My Oga… I dey loyal. Anything for the boys?”

Okon never did that. Never.

He did his work like a professional, too professional sef for the role. He wasn’t the type to disappear when the sun was scorching and customers were no longer trooping in. Instead, he would curl into his plastic chair, pull out one heavy textbook, and read like he was preparing for a bigger mission.

Every single time.

At some point, I started paying closer attention. Something told me this young man was not just hustling, he had vision. He had fire in his bones.

I mentioned it to my husband one night while we were locking up and heading home. And he smiled and said, “I’ve noticed too.”

So we both agreed, it was time to talk to him.

That evening, after everyone had left, we called him in.

He walked in, slightly nervous, still polite.

We smiled and asked, “Okon, we’ve been watching you for a while. You’re not just different—you’re intentional. What are your life goals?”

He smiled, a little shy, and said:

“My goal is to be a chartered accountant, I’ve actually completed my ND 2, I'm just trying to raise money and go back to school.”

I blinked. ND1?

“Where are your parents?” my husband asked gently.

He swallowed. “They died when I was five. I was raised by my grandma, but she passed away three years ago.”

My chest tightened.

“So you’ve been on your own since then?”

“Yes ma,” he nodded.

I swear, I had to swallow the lump in my throat.

He had every reason to go astray, to become bitter, to be entitled, but he chose a different path. A path of hard work, dignity, and quiet resilience.

I looked at my husband. That was it.

We had to help him.

We encouraged him to get the HND form. He did, and registered for part-time with some of the savings he had already gathered. We paid the rest of his school fees.

When he knelt down to thank us, I almost burst into tears. But we told him, “Stand up, biko. We’re just doing what God laid in our heart.”

We got someone to assist him on shift duty, so he could combine work and school properly.

In one year and six months, Okon graduated. No social media noise, just focus.

When it was time for his convocation, my husband and I went and stood in as a family for him.

We came with different cooked delicacies.

When he saw us, Nah to cry remind for Okon. He said he has never experienced this kindness in his life before, or even being celebrated.

The convocation went well, and we took a cute photoshoot which was enlarged.

Okon however didn’t even wait for NYSC. He got his statement of result and continued working.

Then my husband told him, “Apply as a staff. You can’t be at the gate again.”

He applied.

They gave him the job.

That same gate where he used to stand, he now walked past wearing a shirt and tie. His former colleagues would hail him:

“Okon! You don be our boss oh! Remember your boys!”

He would smile and still “remember” them from time to time.

Okon worked with integrity, humility, and excellence. Two years later, he got promoted.

We were already a family. He would come to the house, gist with us, celebrate small wins, bring cake for the children.

He even got married, before my husband got transferred to Abuja.

Ah, when we were leaving, Okon wept like a baby.

He hugged us over and over, came visiting again before we finally left.

He still calls us often.

Just last week, he told me he had been promoted to Executive Director.

I froze.

I didn’t know when tears gathered in my eyes.

From a gateman to Executive Director?

Only God can write such beautiful stories.

And sometimes, he uses people like you and I to hold the pen.

Moral of the story?

Don’t look down on anybody. That “ordinary” gateman you’re ignoring might just be a giant in the making.

Life is truly beautiful… when your heart is good.

Your current situation is not your conclusion.
You may start at the gate, but if you carry vision, discipline, and integrity, the gate won’t be your final address.

Finally, when you’re faithful in little, life will trust you with more.
Okon wasn’t waiting for a big role to show excellence. He gave his best as a gateman, and life respond and became executive director.

If this story inspired you, kindly share

I marry early, just 20 years old.
My husband na 24 that time.

We love ourself well-well.

E no even reach one month for our marriage, I don carry belle.

We happy as young couple wey dey expect their first pikin. We prepare everything down for the baby.

But na for delivery room my joy begin turn to pain.

I labour for almost 3 days.
When I finally born, na baby boy, but the baby come weak.

Two hours later, my pikin d!e.
I cry tire.
My husband too cry.

But we encourage ourself say, "We go try again."

Six months later, I carry belle again.
After 9 months — another stillbirth.

Third belle, the same thing happen.

Na so my family say, “This marriage no be for you. Come out, go complete your university.”

But I refuse. I love my husband. I believe say better go still happen.

Some people say na spiritual matter.
We begin waka from church to prophet, prayer upon prayer.

Prophet assure us say “This time, e go work.” I carry belle again, the fourth one.

I born the baby, the baby even cry small, but by evening the baby d!e.

Doctor call am “sudden infant death.” No explanation. Just fear.

Na that period doctor advise say make we give gap before we try again.

I tell my husband make we try adopt for now.
Him agree.

I call my cousin wey say she dey work for one motherless home. We give her over 1.6 million. Na so she dupe us carry money vanish.

My husband vex.
Say him no even believe for adoption before, na just to please me. Him say make I no ask am money again.

I begin follow the matter spiritually again.
Different prophecies, no solution.

One day, my friend tell me about one doctor for East wey young girls dey born give away babies for money.

Baby Boy na 1.5 million, girl na 1 million.
She say e legit.

I tell my husband, he say, "I no dey interestedand i no get any money to bring out."

I go borrow money.
I give my friend 600k as first payment.

One week later, na online I see video of my friend—dem dey beat her say she thief her neighbor pikin wan carry come give me.

I shock.
My heart cut.

I run go show my husband. He say, "Better no involve me for this matter"

Next day, police land arrest me.

My husband say, “Follow them go. I go get lawyer.”

I call my family, dem say, “As you no hear word when we try rescue you, make Love bail you out now.”

Just like play, I land prison.
No lawyer.
No family.

My husband visit me only 3 times. After that, silence.

My friend wey thief the baby, her people raise money bail her.

She promise to help me too. Nothing happen.

I stay 5 years for prison for matter I no understand finish.

Just because say I want born, just because say I no get patience, just because say I trust wrong people.

Different NGO dey come prison.
Dem go give us food, tissue, pad — and hope.

Many promise to help me after I share my story. But nothing come out.

Until one day, one woman wey be women advocate listen to me.

She promise to help. I no believe, but she really help me comot from jail.

When I reach house, my husband don move.
Don remarry with three children already.

When I go see am, him say make I find peace. Say our fate no match.

That day, I wan just disappear. I tell the woman wey help me. She say, “Come stay with me.”

She encourage me. Enrol me back for catering school make I refresh my baking skills.
From there I start my small baking business.

But inside me, I still dey cry.
I no even fit look mirror.
I don lose shape, lose beauty, lose hope.

One day, I go deliver wedding cake.

As i reach the venue the people bounce me — say I no fit enter because I look “dirty.” That day, I cry reach house.

I tell myself, “I go change this story.”

I download Pinterest app, dey learn how to dress my body type.

I watch make-up beginners videos.
I start to buy small affordable good clothes.

I begin dey apply simple makeup.
I switch to skin care wey dey moisturize my skin.

I begin see my beauty again.

Customers begin notice.
Begin compliment me.

I start dey take pictures. I start dey smile.

My self-confidence begin return.

One day, I go deliver cake again.
I dress well.

The bride say I fine. Na there one man collect my number, say na for business.

But na love him come find.

Him fine, young, tall — and kind.
I open up tell am everything.

He say, “Your past no be your name.
Let’s build something new.”

Today, I don marry again.
I don born two boys through CS operation.

Dem survive.
My first son na 4 years, second one 2 years.

My husband say no need to born again — these ones complete us. And truly, I no need anything else again.

I don finally become mama.

Today I dey grateful say After all my tough challenges God still change my story.

---

To every woman wey don carry belle with joy but return house empty-handed — this message na for you.

The pain of stillbirth no be small thing.

Na one deep wound wey only God fit understand.

Sometimes you go dey ask, “Why me?” Sometimes the silence go loud, the tears go come uninvited.

But make you hear this one: you never fail.
Your womb no betray you.

Your heart still be the heart of a mother.

And even if the world no see your kind of pain, God see am, and He go still comfort you in ways wey go shock you.

To the women wey don lose their self-esteem because dem no get money take take care of their body, or childbirth don change the way dem look —

My sister, remember say your beauty no end for body.

Start small, love yourself again, dress well, start with your budget, manage your weight if necessary.

Self love dey build back self esteem

You go rise again and glow in your own time.

To the women wey their husband don abandon them —

No carry your life hang for one person wey walk away.

God never walk away from you.

Stand up, dust your pain, start again.
Look good, take care of yourself.
You still fit laugh again, love again, and shine again.

To Every Woman and Family wey dey fight silent battles —

May God surprise you with joy wey go wipe all your secret tears.
Amen.

@highlight

From Oil Theft to Budget Padding: Commodore Dappa Exposes Ibas’ Long History of “Crude” Deals

Meet Commodore Promise Dappa, a decorated naval officer who gave the Nigerian Navy 32 years of unwavering service, only to be denied promotion three times. Why? According to him, it all boils down to one thing; he refused to play ball with oil thieves.

Dappa, who once served as Maritime Guard Commander at NIMASA, claims his anti-oil theft crusade made powerful enemies, including then-Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas. And when Ibas took the helm in 2015, Dappa says his career was sunk—not for lack of merit, but because he refused to “cooperate” with the oily underbelly of the system.

“I had one of the best records among my contemporaries,” Dappa said. “But Ibas made sure I was denied every privilege, while his protégés; two of whom were later indicted by the EFCC, got promoted after looting NIMASA dry.”

The retired Commodore alleges that millions were forfeited by his successors, yet they still climbed the ranks under Ibas’ watch. Meanwhile, he was blacklisted for doing the right thing.

It didn’t end there.

Dappa also accuses Ibas of ethnic favoritism, claiming Rivers officers were systematically sidelined while choice postings and fast-track promotions were reserved for Cross River and Akwa Ibom officers; “Ibas’ boys,” as he calls them.

Fast forward to 2025, and Ibas is still making headlines—for all the wrong reasons.

Now serving as Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Ibas is under fire after the House of Reps flagged N30 billion for gunboats, N23 billion for “contingency reserves”, and N24 billion for CCTV in a Government House that already has working cameras.

Dappa says none of this surprises him.

"Ibas couldn’t buy proper gunboats when he was Chief of Naval Staff, and now he’s budgeting billions for the same boats as an administrator? Rivers State is just his new playground. Only God can save the treasury now.”

From the high seas of corruption to the corridors of political manipulation, Dappa’s story paints a picture of a man who stood for integrity and paid the price for it, while the system rewarded those who knew how to “settle.”

Funny how the same hands that turned a blind eye to oil theft are now signing off on ghost gunboats and invisible CCTV.

"Your journey is unique, your path is yours alone, and your story is still being written. Don't compare yourself to others, don't measure your success by someone else's standards, and don't let anyone else define your worth. You are enough, you are worthy, and you are capable of achieving greatness. Keep moving forward, keep pushing boundaries, and keep shining your light.

From Oil Theft to Budget Padding: Commodore Dappa Exposes Ibas’ Long History of “Crude” Deals

Meet Commodore Promise Dappa, a decorated naval officer who gave the Nigerian Navy 32 years of unwavering service, only to be denied promotion three times. Why? According to him, it all boils down to one thing; he refused to play ball with oil thieves.

Dappa, who once served as Maritime Guard Commander at NIMASA, claims his anti-oil theft crusade made powerful enemies, including then-Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas. And when Ibas took the helm in 2015, Dappa says his career was sunk—not for lack of merit, but because he refused to “cooperate” with the oily underbelly of the system.

“I had one of the best records among my contemporaries,” Dappa said. “But Ibas made sure I was denied every privilege, while his protégés; two of whom were later indicted by the EFCC, got promoted after looting NIMASA dry.”

The retired Commodore alleges that millions were forfeited by his successors, yet they still climbed the ranks under Ibas’ watch. Meanwhile, he was blacklisted for doing the right thing.

It didn’t end there.

Dappa also accuses Ibas of ethnic favoritism, claiming Rivers officers were systematically sidelined while choice postings and fast-track promotions were reserved for Cross River and Akwa Ibom officers; “Ibas’ boys,” as he calls them.

Fast forward to 2025, and Ibas is still making headlines—for all the wrong reasons.

Now serving as Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Ibas is under fire after the House of Reps flagged N30 billion for gunboats, N23 billion for “contingency reserves”, and N24 billion for CCTV in a Government House that already has working cameras.

Dappa says none of this surprises him.

"Ibas couldn’t buy proper gunboats when he was Chief of Naval Staff, and now he’s budgeting billions for the same boats as an administrator? Rivers State is just his new playground. Only God can save the treasury now.”

From the high seas of corruption to the corridors of political manipulation, Dappa’s story paints a picture of a man who stood for integrity and paid the price for it, while the system rewarded those who knew how to “settle.”

Funny how the same hands that turned a blind eye to oil theft are now signing off on ghost gunboats and invisible CCTV.

THE ELEMENTS OF THOUGHT

In all academic disciplines, and in thinking, they share one universal truth that whenever you reason, you are trying to accomplish a purpose within a point of view using concepts and ideas, you are focused on some question, issue or problem, using information to come to some conclusion based on assumptions, all of which have implications. Thinking then generates purposes, raises questions, uses information, uses concepts, makes inferences, makes assumptions, generates implications, and embodies a point of view. It does not matter who you are; whenever you engage in thinking, you will find all these parts.

By pulling apart anyone’s narrative, we will uncover the logic behind their thought. Let's start from the point of view; as soon as the perspective changes, there will be a different combination of the elements of thought. The perspective may be political, relationships, money, religion, gender, family, or education. When we start from a point of view, e.g. religion, we ask what the person is looking at, and how they are developing the argument. One could make three different inferences following the information given to them on the Abrahamic Covenant from the Koran, Bible, or Tanaka; the inferences change based on the information, which also changes other elements of thought, like concepts, assumptions, implications and questions. One inference coming from the Koran is that Jesus was a prophet. Another inference coming from the Tanaka is that Jesus is not the Messiah.

The inference coming from the Bible is that Jesus is the son of God, the seed of Abraham. The concepts differ for Christians: salvation through Jesus, the cross, the Trinity, grace and truth, prophecy fulfilment, and a New Covenant. For Jews: the Torah, the Messiah is a future/political leader, a covenant made with Israel through Issac and Jacob. For Muslims: prophethood, lineage through Abraham and Ishmael. A Muslim assumption is that Jesus was a prophet and not divine. A Jewish assumption is that the Messiah has not yet come. A Christian assumption is that the Abrahamic covenant pointed forward to Christ. A question in the elements of thought would differ, such as the Jew would ask what it means to be God’s chosen people. Is the messiah divine or human? The Muslim may ask who the true heir of Abraham’s covenant was, Issac or Ishmael? The Christian may ask what it means for Jesus to be the seed of Abraham. The implications of thought for the Jew are that when the Messiah is coming, the New Testament is not authoritative. The implications of thinking for Muslims are that Jesus is honoured but not worshipped. The implications for Christians are that salvation is available through Jesus, not the law.

Let’s change to another point of view on money. Inferences will follow the information one has about money. The possible inference is that money is to be spent, money is to be multiplied, or money is to pay bills. Although money can do all those things, it will have different consequences. The difference in understanding creates the end outcome. Ideas associated with money can differ based on social class, culture, family upbringing, and life experiences; however, attached to all those contexts is a narrative, yet money operates by laws.

Another point of view we could use to model thinking is politics in an American context, in the present generation. A possible inference is that Trump is a dictator. Trump is making good decisions for America. Trump is an absolute nightmare as a president. For all these conclusions, there would need to be some premises on which the argument is built. Therefore, the inferences are coming from a source of information. We must also consider the social location of the person making an inference if you were a man coming from a patriarchal society where women are expected to serve the man and engage in unpaid domestic duties just because she is a woman. However, the ideas associated with gender may differ significantly if we change cultures; people’s differing understanding of religious texts can impact their conclusions based on how they interpret meanings. Therefore, we must consider the one making that assessment when weighing up differing opinions. We can also find the logic of a thinking pattern by observing those different conclusions based on the information.

They all involve some concepts, principles, and rules. It is always important to identify these; if we want to take command of thinking, we must accurately define the concepts being used, implicitly/explicitly, consciously/unconsciously. You wouldn’t just make the statement that Trump is a dictator. When we label someone, something, or a place, further investigation is needed to understand how that conclusion is made. Some will disagree, maybe because Trump is their president and they believe that he is doing well for the country. The person saying he is a dictator may have come from one of the 12 nations Trump has banned and have family members in America that they can no longer visit. The concepts in this person’s thought may be equality, human rights, democracy, authoritarianism, and discrimination, e.g. inclusion/exclusion, as it is targeting Muslim nations; therefore, Trump's far-right nationalism is also using the discourse strategy of us and them. If we were to develop our thinking by taking command of the concepts concealed within a narrative, we would get an accurate understanding of a concept by finding descriptions of its meaning. So often, we only have a shallow understanding of a concept, or it could be inaccurate.

Let’s explore the concept of democracy as an illustration. According to the Webster dictionary, democracy is government by the people, a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system. On the other hand, according to the Webster dictionary, authoritarianism favours complete obedience or subjection to authority as opposed to individual freedom. To be critical of someone’s perspective, we must find the definitions of the concepts they may be using. This is why, critically, not emotionally, getting to the logic of an argument is crucial if we come from a different viewpoint. There will be other concepts that someone from America may have based on a negative experience, maybe they were caught up in the Twin Towers on September 11th and have developed a negative view of a religious minority.

Yet to say that all people from one nation are going to display a terrorist character trait is a heresy. To further develop our understanding of the parts of thinking, we need to ask what information they are using. Perhaps a good example of this is that Trump is a radical right nationalist, where to be American, you must qualify by ethnicity and race, as some of the other terms that he uses in discourse are “Build the wall nice and tall.” His thinking shows that he has an us and them narrative; he is analogising using sentiment of American nationalism.

We need to identify the information source from which anyone is drawing inferences. Here, we look for the facts, experiences, or data the person uses to draw conclusions. Inferences are the conclusions people draw from the information. For example, Trump is an authoritarian, but there must be some connecting premise that logically connects. Sometimes people make an inference but do not have enough evidence to support that claim, or their reasons do not connect logically. In the bible, the chief priest and the elders devised a plan and gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say 'Jesus' disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.” And this story has been widely circulated to this day. That is why the Jews draw the inference that Jesus did not resurrect from the grave. Hidden in that inference are untested assumptions made by a whole people group as one of the premises that they believe support this argument that Jesus is not God. That is a serious assumption that could determine the whole trajectory of someone’s belief system, which is why we must always test our assumptions.

Assumptions are the information we have taken for granted; they underlie the reason for someone's argument. Assumptions can usually be unstated or not made explicit, but they are always an element in the parts of thinking. What is the key question someone is asking whenever they think? For example, this article is trying to settle a question: Can we understand the logic behind anyone's thought, even if they are different from our own? Questions always drive our thinking; we must clarify what question directs our thinking. What is Trump's question about tariffs? How can he make America the financial superpower of the world? There are strategic reasons behind his decisions. Our goal is to figure out the question behind someone’s reasoning.

What is the main purpose of someone’s reasoning? There is always a purpose that drives thought. This is universal and will be in everyone's thinking, depending on the subject. Take a mundane activity like grocery shopping, you take out a pen and paper because you don’t want to forget what you need at the grocery store. There are clear purposes in your thinking. I may write on a subject that particularly matters to me because I have seen the injustice a problem may cause; therefore, my reasoning has a clear purpose. Here, we try to discover the intent of reasoning. What is someone trying to accomplish through thinking? If we accept some line of reasoning, what are some important implications of that reasoning?

What likely consequences follow, such as believing in your heart and confessing with your mouth that Jesus is God? According to the bible, the implications of thinking spiritually lead to life and peace, and the consequences lead to eternal life with God. All thinking has implications. Another way of thinking is that if we fail to accept this line of reasoning, some important implications are. Then you could ask what important consequences are likely to follow if you ignore the information. I have covered all the elements of thought that you can start implementing into your reasoning. This is an extensive subject. Still, it needs to be practically applied for it to have long-lasting benefits and to understand how thinking arranges itself just by adjusting or changing some of the assumptions that have not been tested, checking for other information sources and thinking through the logic of other people’s points of view. Practice critical thinking every day.

Picture taken from Nike Art Gallery a place of creative arts plus and displays in Nigeria.

Al-Hilal made history! The 4-3 win over City was just the 3rd time Pep Guardiola conceded 4 goals in a knockout match.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
2013: Borussia Dortmund 4x2 Bayern (German Super Cup)
2014: Bayern 0x4 Real Madrid (Champions League - Semi)
2025: Man. City 3x4 al -Hilal (Club World Cup - 8as)

#football #footflix #footfilx90 #soccer #explore #viral #trending #fyp #futbol

#OnThisDay in 2003 - Ken Bates agreed to sell Chelsea Football Club to Roman Abramovich for around £140m.

The rest, is history:
FA Cup
Premier League
League Cup
Europa League
Champions League
Super Cup
Club World Cup

#CFC #Chelsea #ChelseaFC

Lifestyle is a story one tells each time he manifests it

Reno, accept!ng the job to d£market Peter Obi 0nline is the most daπgeroμs job ever accepted by any M0rtal in the history of d!try polit!cs in N!geria. Even the universe is aga!nst you. You will not easily recover from the self indu¢ed ru!ns. W0E to them who knowest the truth but refuseth to vo!ce it – Ugezu J. ugezu

The Nollywood Actor, Director, Producer and screenwriter has written to Reno Omokri, describ!ng what he is doing 0nline aga!nst Peter Obi as a daπgeroμs job which will will soon backf!re.

Nze Ugezu, Ayaka Enukwu Ukwu assured Reno that the universe is aga!nst for trying so hard to d£market Peter Obi in his 2027 presidential asp!rat!ons

WAR REPRESENTATIONS

Perception is a fascinating topic to explore, as the deeper you observe life from various people’s social locations- such as age, gender, class, and ethnicity- as general indicators, the more you will question why people think the way they do. Today, I was contemplating Trump's perception of Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian Prime Minister, who has, in my view, become world-famous for his resilience and fighting spirit amid a terrible situation that Ukraine did not instigate; Russia invaded a sovereign democratic nation. As I contemplated, I learnt a fundamental truth we should all consider: How do we know anyone, such as Trump, Zelensky, Putin, and many other names that may have been popularised on social media or in the news?

Whenever we hear information, such as a news report or a social media post, from a perspective that encourages critical discussion of certain postulates, which include stating facts or opinions, it often feels narrow, and much of the information we receive is mediated. One of the greatest war strategies is information, as evidenced by the situation between Hamas and Israel. Hamas’s information campaign appeared to conquer through protests, riots, and extremist views against Jews, inciting chants of antisemitism to turn people against them, even though they were invaded as a sovereign nation. Many seem to forget this, as the war led to the civilian deaths of innocent Palestinians. Meanwhile, innocent Jews faced provocation and hate speech, even globally, with reputable organizations disputing claims of rape against women, despite forensic evidence and eyewitness accounts. Feminist groups and various news reports further denied this information.

We could take sides with Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, or Russia based on what we hear in the news. Generally, from a Western perspective, people support Ukraine, viewing it as a free democracy that manages its political affairs. Yet, Trump called Zelensky a dictator. Meanwhile, the calmly spoken Putin believes his regime is justified, though I do not understand the logic behind his worldview that Ukraine cannot be part of NATO, aside from a desire for power. My understanding of this war is severely limited, as the only information I have is through mediated content and the views it conveys. Let’s imagine we are standing outside of the words, meanings, descriptions, observations, sentiments, and feelings we may experience when an innocent child is murdered in cold blood or when drones invade people’s backyards and attack them. Then, we ponder whether Russia did this and Ukraine didn’t. Were Ukrainians supposed to give up and allow the bully to win, thereby losing their sovereignty?

The concept of nationalism clearly exists in each of these countries, highlighting the unique disposition of each cultural group. However, Israel was given to the Jews by God, and there has been a persistent attack on God’s chosen nation, ongoing for centuries. If we revisit the story of Abraham, bearing Isaac and Ishmael- one from Sarah, the free woman, and one from Hagar, the slave woman- we see the emergence of two distinct peoples. It was even prophesied that Ishmael would be a wild donkey of a man; his hand would be against everyone, and everyone’s hand against him, as he lives in hostility towards all his brothers. This division has led to differing perspectives. Sarah was unhappy with Ishmael's situation, leading to their expulsion, which can be seen as the root cause of the divisions we feel today. We must also view this not just from the physical realm; the days are short. Just as the Bible prophesied, these are the beginnings of birth pains. Moreover, we share a common domain; the internet connects the world in previously unimaginable ways, creating echo chambers of various subcultures. Those who oppose Israel often congregate through algorithms that link them with like-minded individuals globally. This fosters an environment where hate speech against God’s chosen people is further exacerbated. This underscores why questioning everything is fundamental. How can we be sure what we know is true if the major source of information is mediated rather than experiential?

While we've seen footage of World War I, have we ever questioned how it was filmed amidst battlefields? Do we comprehend the weight of camera equipment, and why weren't the cameramen shot while filming above the trenches? As I have discovered, the way World War One was mediated was inaccurate; it was only how they portrayed it to appear. How something is and how it seems are two different things, but we must consider that unless we are there, we only see it through the lens of how it is framed or our preconceived ideas, which may be biased or prejudiced.

Because someone says something, we must discover their inferences: do they have a sound and logical argument, or can we merely see grounds for no argument to be formed due to a lack of substantive evidence? And how can we ever really know when we have never met people or walked in their shoes? Yet God has the full perspective; His judgments are just, and His understanding- who can fathom? He loves justice; His throne is established on righteousness and justice. Mercy, loving-kindness, and truth go before His face, yet there is perfection in His understanding because He sees in full, not as we see. He has a righteous perspective, and one day, that justice for everything will come to fruition. Adolf Hitler did not get away with anything; he didn’t just die without meeting his maker. He must give a complete account of his life, just as Putin, Trump, and the least of the least do- no one will be left unaccountable for their life. Our perspective and God’s perspective can contradict because God has the full view of every situation on earth. Consider that!

A COMPOSITE OF AWARENESS, CONCENTRATION AND WILLPOWER

Just as a palette of colours is to an artist, a vast array of words and their syntax is to a writer. By blending and combining words, a writer weaves a rich tapestry of meaning. Meaning is the ultimate goal of writing, even though the process of sending and receiving messages can be complex. It is fascinating that all of humanity shares in language, even though the dialect spoken may differ. For example, the word used to stand in for a dog may be different in another language, but that word can often be translated so that we understand they refer to the same object in the world.

Words are like cutting patterns in paper; although they are abstractions of the real world, they serve to stand in for and represent something. That's why, when we share terms and definitions, it’s often important to clarify what we mean by those terms so that everyone starts with a shared understanding of a word. Currently, I’m working on taking three words that serve as the active ingredients influencing my behaviour daily. The goal is for the words not just to be abstract ideas, but to be converted into tangible actions, so that the words benefit me physically in the material world.

The three words I want to focus on are awareness, concentration, and willpower. Right away, you might think you understand what I mean from those words, but to avoid the different connotations that can vary in people's minds, let's start by defining what I mean when I mention these terms. Sometimes, creating a picture is the most effective way to convey understanding.

Think of awareness as a glowing ball of light that moves around the vast areas of the mind, so to speak. For example, when you're running a race to win, your awareness is in a competitive part of the mind, compared to when you're listening or watching a movie. The movie producer can take your awareness and direct it to various parts of the mind, such as turning something funny into a happy feeling, or something suspenseful into fear, or something that may make you angry. This is influenced by an external source created by your environment, over which you have no physical control. Awareness is triggered by the money you paid to a producer to evoke emotions in you, which is determined by the pictures, words, and storyline associated with the movie. In everyday life, many people are not in charge of their awareness. Something upsets you, and you keep thinking about those ideas; therefore, they have taken control of your awareness as it shifts to a worried state of mind. Then it is rehearsed, and by doing this, we are practising distraction in allowing our awareness to be focused on an external or internal conflict. This is why we need to be conscious in the present moment, so that we know exactly which part of the mind our awareness is focused on.

The practice of meditating on quality information, such as scripture or complex problems we aim to solve, should be a more productive time using our awareness. Today, there is an epidemic of distraction caused by many factors, like social media, messages, news stories, or emails that pop up. The longer we let our environment dictate where our awareness goes, the more we practice distraction. Every second in our lives is wasted if we haven't set an intention or purpose to focus on one thing. External influences govern our focus if we allow others to decide where our attention goes.

Next, I want to define concentration: the ability to hold our attention on something for a set period until the mind chooses to shift focus. Looking at some of the great inventors and discoverers of universal truths like Isaac Newton, Einstein, or Shakespeare—who spent ten years writing one book studied across generations—we see people who developed new inventions, such as rockets that go to space, or achieved anything beyond instant gratification through commitment to concentration. Edison is a clear example; after his 1000 attempts to build a light bulb, he finally cracked the code. If he had given up, it may have taken many more years for such a discovery to happen. We can't finish anything we start unless we develop the skill to concentrate.

The next concept we need to understand is willpower. We can think of willpower as a muscle we all possess, though to different degrees. For example, you might decide you want to exercise, but you have a habit of not following through with that commitment. It’s not that you lack integrity with your word; it may be that you need to develop the skill of willpower. We can incorporate this into our daily routines; it involves completing tasks until they are finished. If you get out of bed but don’t make your bed until later in the day, your sleep cycle remains incomplete. If you say you’ll leave the dishes until the morning, you’re not taking advantage of the opportunity to build willpower by finishing a task. This isn’t laziness; it’s the inability to sustain willpower until everything you set your hand to is complete. If we commit to finishing every task, such as eating, washing up, and putting things away, without compromise, and practise this as a routine in our daily life, we’ll strengthen our willpower muscle. The more you resist the temptation to leave things until later and complete the task, the better your results will be over time.

Imagine our world if half-finished buildings were inhabitable, children didn’t have to finish the school year once they decided to stay home, ingredients for a cake were put together but not baked, dishes piled up, rubbish was not taken out for weeks, and a bridge was left incomplete. This is the foundation of disorder. In Genesis 1, at the beginning of the world, at the end of each day, God had a protocol where He performed quality checks — using the principle of evaluation — when the Bible states that God saw that it was good, not only did He complete His work, but He also gave it a quality mark. Everything we undertake must be finished, and not only finished but also pushed a little further, doing a bit more than is comfortable. This builds your willpower to be a finisher. There are mundane tasks we all must do, like washing dishes, cooking, cleaning, and making the bed, and often we don’t see why completing these tasks is so important. It’s not just about the satisfaction of having done them; it is about developing your willpower to complete everything you start. If this principle hasn’t been embedded in your consciousness, you might look back over the last five years and notice projects left undone. There could be valid reasons for this, but the real key is cultivating the willpower of a finisher.

Over the last 7 to 10 years, I have been dedicated to academic and self-education, making it a lifestyle culture. To dismiss this for trivial pursuits is not an option because the amount of willpower I have built to pursue this has become second nature, often going against the cultural norm. People are motivated by different things; it depends on our values and what we consider priorities. However, willpower, concentration, and awareness are fundamental. If we do not prioritise these skills in areas where we are weak, we cannot effectively use them as tools that benefit us. We have a lawn mower for cutting grass, a dishwasher for cleaning and drying dishes, and a computer is essential for many tasks. It is as important to understand and practise conscious awareness—being aware of what part of the mind our focus is in—or concentration to uncover new solutions that may resolve problems. Willpower is like a muscle that sustains lasting change. I challenge you, as I challenge myself, to develop these skills.

Written by Rochelle White