YOUR LIFE IS IN YOUR HANDS!

My teacher once said, “Your life is in your hands”. Each time she uttered these words, we would laugh. I can’t explain why we laughed every time she said those words, but something tells me we didn’t understand her. Interestingly, after many years of thinking about her words, I reckon the joke was on us!

I understood the true meaning of her words when I got admitted to Senior Secondary School. At SHS, I was forced to compete with a host of brilliant students from other schools. I was an average student back in JHS; I studied very little during exams and would joke around during class test.

Soon, I discovered that at SHS, there was no middle ground. It is either you are academically sound or you know nothing at all. I struggled hard to catch up with my mates, but I was failing miserably. I was deeply devastated by my academic standing in class and I knew I had to do something about it before the term ends.

I knew all the things I had to do to get my desired grades. It meant I had to make sacrifices such as studying extra, getting a tutor, staying away from social media and other social events. It was a hard decision I had to take but I knew the result would be worth it.

I understood my life was in my hands and only I could make the necessary needed changes. It wasn’t easy at first, because it meant old habits had to die and you know what they say about old habits? I slipped a few times to my old ways but I never gave up.

By the end of the school term, I didn’t make my desired grades but I was close enough. I vowed to work even harder next time. I came to the realization that as young people, we tend to laugh or not take things seriously. We usually bank our hopes on tomorrow but tomorrow is not for everyone.

I guess all my teacher was trying to say is that only you can take the necessary action needed to succeed in life. No one can do it for you. These are important words I will carry with me to the end of my life because such words are worth remembering.