Rekindling the fire of faith

THE RELOCATION OF DIVINE'S FAMILY

Changing location for Divine is like starting a new life all over again. This is because he will no longer see the people is once used to seeing, especially his close friends that he is often involved in hunting game with.

While on transit to Otukpo from Makurdi, Divine is lost in thought and remembers how he uses to play hide and seek games with other children. The memories come like a flashback, he did not realize that is in a car in transit. At every interval, the images of the experiences he has had keep interfering with his thought as all he could think about is the experience he will no longer have with his friends.

The journey from Makurdi to Otukpo is an experience Divine will never forget. Divine's Dad had him carried on his neck, as he feels like riding an artificial rocking horse. Divine has always had this mental picture of riding on a rollercoaster, however, what he feels, while on his Dad's neck is a rocking horse, giddy hopping.

Divine was only four years old when his family relocated from Makurdi to Otukpo. As he enters the boarded car with his Dad to start the journey, he had a feeling of leaving something behind. This made him wish he can return to what he feels he is leaving behind. Nevertheless, what could that be? The experience of hunting crickets around the neighbourhood in the barrack quarters, hunting for rats and snails, plugging mangoes and guava fruits.

At the time Divine had this experience, he was very young and could not process the information his eyes was gathering. While the vehicle his Dad boarded was in transit, he sees everything moving and leaving him behind, while the supposed moving vehicle appears static. This bothers him so much that he had to ask his Dad, "Daddy, why are the trees and grasses, with all the mountains running and leaving us behind when it is the vehicle we are in that is supposed to be moving?"

The question from Divine caught his Dad's attention, as Divine's Dad now concludes, if Divine can ask such a question even at this tender age, then, there are some certain truths beyond his age that he needs to know now. Therefore, Divine's Dad takes a deep breath and say to his son, "Life is a journey and since it is, your beliefs sometimes leave you behind reality. I mean, there are some certain ideologies you hold firm to, that will keep you far from experiencing reality. If you do not drop certain ideologies, you can chase after reality. So, it seems as if the things you are seeing through the windows of the moving car are moving. However, most of the things you are seeing are not moving. It is the vehicle that is moving. Let me make this clear to you. Your thought is likened to a vehicle. If you must make progress and leave behind the wrong ideologies that limit progress, you have to shed off unhealthy thoughts. Now, that you are relocating, you will meet with people you have never met before and start having new friends. Therefore, you need to adjust to your new environment."

"Life is all about adjustment" Divine's Dad said, "The life adjustment is what will help your relationship with people. Now, you are a younger boy, I won't see you as a younger boy, but as a young man who will soon grow up and start your own family.

Do not let anything keep you down, as nothing can keep you down except you choose to be down. As you grow, my son, life will teach you many lessons, even the ones I have not taught you. When I am gone, you will understand better. "

When Divine's Dad made the statement, "When I am gone...", it caught Divine's attention. The divine becomes curious, though, very young, just fours year old, but the conversation his Dad was dragging him into, was making him think like a mature man. Divine asks " Daddy, when you are gone...? Where are you going? Daddy, if you will go anywhere, I will go with you."

"Son, the place I will leave you for, you can't go with me. When your time is ripe, you will also leave your children to join me. However, you cannot go with me, because I have spent more time here than you. It is an error for you to go with me. Nevertheless, I am still here with you and will be here until, the time cone for me to leave. Just relax, though the life we live will not last." says Divine's Dad. Had could not really why he is involved in such a discussion with his son who is just four years old.

"Son! Life is full of ups and downs, however, circumstances wrap up in happenings that may try stilling your peace. You cannot be happy when you have no peace. Anything that stills your peace, steals your happiness. Just be happy, no matter what happens to you in life. Therefore, son, do everything to have peace instilled in your heart, because instilled peace, will pass understanding to your troubled soul. You can only overcome a situation you have an understanding of when peace is in your heart.

Life is full of ups and downs, today we are here, but tomorrow we may be no more, just the way we will be no more where we are, we will be where we will be, even as we have left where were."

The words from Divine's Dad sounds very complex as he could not comprehend. However, Divine caught the fact that they will be no more where they use to be and the statement, "Just be happy, no matter what happens to you in life " sticks to Divine's memory.

Soon, the vehicle alight in a place and Divine's Dad carried him, as they both walk into a restaurant, where they were served pounded yam and egusi soul. Divine's Dad gives him a big chunk of meat and he eats until he becomes tired of eating. Divine could not finish his meal.

As they continue the journey, Divine suddenly falls asleep and starts feeling like urinating, as he rushes to a nearby bush, pulls off his pant and starts urinating. Divine notice someone keeps tapping him. Though, he senses the touch, but could not tell where the forest is coming from.

While Divine was still urinating, he closes his eyes be the use of the usual sensation, all for him to open his eyes to discover, he was on his Dad's lap and had urinated. Divine feels bad that what he thought was real, he now discovered that he urinated on his Dad.

Divine's Dad seeing that he is only but a child, did not scold him, Divine, instinctively feel scolded and that makes him start crying.

Soon, they arrive at Otukpo and everywhere was dark. It was a total blackout, such that Divine's Dad had to use his touch to be able to see to gain access into the room. However, some young men were offloading from the truckloads, while Divine sleeps till the next morning because he feels exhausted.

The next morning, Divine wakes up, and realize himself in an entirely different environment. Instantly, his orientation starts changing...