The die is cast, the clock is ticking
The stage is set, my heart is beating
Believing the anchor holds true today
Hoping, the formula works this time
Because the die is cast, the clock is ticking
Because the stage is set, my heart is beating
And it is now or never: I hope it now will be.

Life has its ways of playing hard and fast on us. For some of us, it has played this game so often and because the end results aren’t always pleasant, we subconsciously tune ourselves for the worst. Not only do we stereotype events, we extend same to people. We consider certain kinds of people prone to certain ways and our expectations unconsciously follow the dictates of previous disappointments. If only we realize how unfair it is to jump to conclusion about everyone because someone didn’t do something right.

I have been taking this out of town trainings scheduled over 6 months and this gentleman takes me to and fro each time. First time, I requested a receipt but he said he didn’t have and I didn’t mind because it was a good deal and I felt like I was helping him and his family. Eventually after several trips, I needed to recover my money and realized I couldn’t without receipts. For the next trip, I asked if he could get me a receipt to enable me recover my money otherwise, I wouldn’t be disposed to use his service. He said not to bother, he’d get me a receipt. At that, I asked if he could help me with receipts for previous trips: no feedback.

A day before the trip, I reached out to confirm he was available and he did. I asked again about previous receipts: no comment. All the while my mind kept telling me he won’t show up, “How come he suddenly has a receipt when he’s claimed he doesn’t all these while? Why isn’t he responding to my questions for previous receipts?” Up until then, he’s been reliable, showing up in good time before each trip, and kind in his comportment and communications. I had no reason to doubt that he will show up but that day, at the appointed time, he was nowhere to be found. I sent a message, no response. I called, the call was taken and immediately dropped. I gave a few minutes and called back and this time, it wasn’t taken. Every evidence before me was screaming, “See…, smell something fishy?”

I had to make last minute alternative arrangements. Then I got a message from him apologizing that he couldn’t make it, suggesting I make alternative arrangement since he was busy with another client. Wow! All the ideas that have been hovering over my head was threatening to settle into this brief and abrasive response but no, I held off. Because I have travelled back and forth with this guy and he had given me absolutely no reason to be offended until now, I decided to focus on the emergency logistics at hand and get back to that later.

On the way, he sent a message to say he forgot and I smiled to myself, “Really?” Then he asked if he could come get me for the ride back since he would be available. My short response was, “If you have a receipt.” Guess what? He showed up in good time as usual. By the time he explained what happened, I was brimming with quiet joy that I had not acted in anger or disappointment. Not only did he bring a receipt for that trip, he got receipts to cover previous ones. A situation he couldn’t help had come up, that’s why he could neither make it that morning nor take my call.

Isn’t it interesting how in a moment of disappointment, hurt and anger, we tear down the very things we have sacrificed and labored hard to build? By restraining the expression of my disappointment the minute I felt it hot and hard, I saved a friendship that could have been ruined. That day, I learned not only to allow every heat to cool off before I conclude and respond, I learned more so the prejudicial evil we do when for one person’s error, we rope every other in judgment. May we learn to wait, to know and understand before we judge. And when we are failed, may we learn again, to wait, to know and understand before we conclude.

Blessings
Glory!