Scars, Stains, Scandals, and Stars

On my way to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, we had to stop at a hotel to pick up some young people—members of a TV crew that came for the presidential bid declaration of His Excellency, Governor Olusegun Mimiko. We had to wait for the State Chairman and Secretary of the Ondo State Labour Party.

Just before we departed, I noticed a very tall fair-skinned handsome man. Just as I was admiring him, I noticed a dark patch on his forehead. It might be a birthmark or a scar from an injury. Immediately I noticed that, it negated all the other wonderful aspects of his physique.

My mind started racing on some ideas.

There are some things in your life that are not what or how you want them to be. There are some you can change, others you can ameliorate but there are some you can not change.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.

Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)

Aki (Osita Iheme) and Pawpaw (Chinedu Ikedieze) cannot change their heights. If they concentrated on their brevity, they will be perpetually angry with God and feel inferior. They, however, ignored it; instead of comparing themselves with people, they decided to dig deep into the deposit of God in them to bring laughter to Nigerians and humanity.

Yellowman (Winston Foster), a Jamaican reggae and dancehall deejay,  sang ‘London cold‘ and other songs some years back. He is an albino but his albinism became a source of attraction. Don’t concentrate on what you don’t have, but concentrate on the deposit of God in you and bless humanity.

I could see that the young man with the mark on his forehead was very dutiful. If he serves his clients very well, they will no longer concentrate on the scar; instead, they will admire his services and ignore the scar. In case there were other tall and fair-skinned handsome men in the hotel, the scar or mark becomes a mark of description and distinction, without disdain.

Don’t concentrate on the scar or mark life might have given you. Make a mark, leave a good memory, create meaning in the lives of people, and you will make money and become a star, despite your scar.

I was wondering if that young man avoids washing and caring for that portion of his face with the scar or Mark. He will definitely even see how he can care for it so as to ameliorate the effect.

There are members of our families that are deformed or have one health challenge or the other. They should not become offensive to us. Just understand that most generals have scars from battles.

Life is a battle. The enemy is a terrorist; he does not obey laws of conventional warfare. The most terrifying and painful scar is that member of the family that has a character flaw that always brings pain and shame to the family, particularly a prominent family, like royal families, clergymen, politicians, and celebrities. This can be a wife, child, sibling, or husband. Ironically they are the ones you love most and expect so much from. Most of us have them in our families; including me.

As I was writing this article at the airport I got a phone call from my office about the ugly scene created by somebody very close to me. We all are like lizards; our bellies touch the ground; there is sand somewhere in our bellies. It is true we have jumped from great heights, severally, and congratulated ourselves and caused others to envy and marvel at our feats; most times, however, no one knows when we have abdominal pain.

Don’t let your scars scare you or others; you can become a star.

I have had several scars in my life. Forgetting what is behind and what I can’t change, I keep pressing on. His grace is sufficient for me.

God Bless You.

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