Dear Nonso,
I hope this letter meets you in good health and that you’re staying safe all the time. The virus has no off days. Please tell me that you’ve at least taken a first shot of the vaccine and have scheduled the second one. Do not listen to those naysayers telling you all sorts. “Dead men don’t count”.
It’s been a while and I decided to touch base with you to remind you about the importance of sharing happiness, what it means to make people smile and the joy that comes from genuinely making someone happy.
Remember MUAALAG, Madonna University Alumni Association Lagos Chapter, the network of upwardly mobile professionals where you served as vice-chairman at a time? Well, this isn’t a note to indulge you in throwbacks to all the fun that you had, rather it is a pointer to one particular activity that defines the essence of sharing happiness and spreading good cheer.
Saturday, December 2nd, 2017, as part of the end of the year activities, the Alumni purchased tons of food items to be distributed to the highway managers of Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA) and you were an active driver of that initiative. Recollect the emotions you felt seeing all the items packed in a bag and the prayers you muttered under your breath? Well, I’ll take you through the journey once more because I know work exertions stretch the memory sometimes.
The morning walk started at General Hospital Ikeja, and the group proceeded to Allen. The first worker you met reacted with hostility. The expression on her face gave away frustration, stress, and pent-up anger. Despite being the orator in the group it took some time for you to explain before she understood the motive of the team.
Oh Boy, the smile that broke out after going through the contents of her package was priceless. Hard man, Hard man, you were the first person who moved to tears when she prayed for the group in appreciation. That feeling can’t be bought anywhere. It’s what you get for putting a smile on someone’s face with a pure heart.
Through the streets of Ikeja, the group went on singing, sharing gifts with people who needed them. There were no thoughts as to what tribe they represented, age or size, it was about spreading happiness to the “underappreciated” people who put their bodies on the line to keep the streets of Lagos clean. The prayers received that day were numerous and honestly, the way the group touched lives that day was worthy of commendation.
So, in these times where the work pressure can get to alarming levels, COVID-19 turning the world on its head, it’s very possible to lose yourself and lose your sense of humanity. But remain resilient in spreading happiness. No act of kindness no matter small is ever wasted.
Use your voice for kindness, your ears for compassion and your hands for charity, your mind for truth and your heart for love. You never know which struggling soul around the corner would need that assurance of love.
The Igbo people say “Anulika”. Joy is greater.
As I prepare to drop my “Golden pen”, I would like to remind you once more to use your nose mask, sanitize and wash your hands regularly and limit physical contact in public places.
My work here is done. E go be.
Yours truly
Hyde.
