DRIVING A HURRICANE

A strong wind swept through my house seven years ago. It was in the middle of the raining season. It was a weekend and I was home. The day was persistently dark, from the cloud cover and I, as read this book on self-belief, something strange began to happen. Quietly, the darkness rested deeper, placing its claws around everything. It was about 3pm. The darkness set deep. I had to put on the light. Good thing, there was power.

At that point, I was grazing upon a line that talked about working yourself up to the challenge before; amid this soothing, elevating inspiration was this dark hand falling upon the daylight and snuffing it out. The clouds were definitely heavy with rumbling rain, ready to pour upon the earth. The winds blew calm. Raising the light satin curtain of the window high, but smoothly, like water.

I kept reading the words, and the wind kept coming soft and the dark yet loomed. Soon there was a gush, as fast winds streamed in through the window. I could hear stronger winds cutting through the slits of roofing all around; trees crackling calmly. Above me, the roof shook, as air filled it from the outside. It made echoing sounds, like the mumblings of a man trapped.

Then it came. First, the clock on the wall came down with a smash. Then water sprayed in through the window, as the rains began to pour. In a blink, I was sprayed with fine drops of water. It also sprayed on the furniture. In a quick moment, I was up to close the windows. As I approached, the water poured hard with the wind right over me. Partially blinded from the storming mist of water around the wind, I pressed forward and grabbed the window handles, pushing it closed. At that moment I heard loud shattering of glass in the room inside. Papers flew. In the midst of the swirling I looked for the book I had dropped on the side table and it was down on the floor, sprinkled with water.

As much as I tried, soon I realised I couldn't catch this storm. The storm was over me, the pictures, falling off the wall. How can I catch anything falling? The wind moved, like a mad angel, cutting its wing through everything, bouncing off the wall and bringing down everything. I couldn't catch it, this angel was untouchable;

As the rains ceased and the storm was gone, I wondered what it would be like to face a hurricane. These strong winds that take down a whole house. I wondered what it was like to be in the centre of the storm, hidden beneath flimsy tables and hoping the hurricane will hop above the house.

It's like life, very much. But unlike the hurricanes, no one can give you a forecast. You just have to be ready. Yes, sometimes you get the clue of something coming, some challenge, problem or battle; but most of the time you don't! You just wake up some day and find out some mess has come knocking at your door. You're not alone, as long as there's a brother, a sister, a neighbour, a friend, or a business partner, even the job; as long as these are round and about you; then hurricanes will come. Someone is going to say no to something when you want a yes; some door is going to stay closed when you pray for it to spring open, someone is going to stand in your way, on this thin path you walk; someone is going to try to steal your bread; someone will need your help on a day you're high and dry; someone will hate you for no reason; someone will want your job. Look, there will be storms, there's nothing you can do to stop them coming, but the main thing is; what you do to survive them.

So, someone's asking how you survive when a killer wind is en route to you and you cannot run? Remember you had no chance for a forecast, so it's on you now; it's threatening to blow you away; it's sweeping on everything around you. Imagine losing your job; it has a way of crashing on everything around you. You have people to care for, NEPA bills. O boy, there's stuff all around you and you just lost a steady source of income. It's a fiery storm, and sometimes life doesn't just look at who it strikes; it just happens because you're here and YOU are ALIVE! So, what would you do? Will you die or stay alive?

That may have hit you rather sharp, but it's the way it is; you either know what it is to drive a hurricane or it will rip you off the earth!

So, how do you drive this hurricane?
Firstly; you have to acknowledge that it's going to come, you're alive and here. It will come sometimes to most; without warning, so you've got to tell yourself the truth, every day is not going to be another joy-ride. When you think in this direction; your mind gets battle-ready; it's like holding your own weapon when you hear your house may be robbed. Expecting every day to be perfect is the starting point for defeat. It's not about being pessimistic or without hope, or faith; it's about knowing that, the PROBLEMS WILL COME AND THEY CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO BE A WINNER! Imagine a boxer who has never had a bout, no challenges from any other boxer, no contests; he's nothing! He's not even a boxer; the only way he has a chance to win is by facing a fight. Then if he does win, his hands will be lifted by the referee as the winner.

Secondly, you have to have a mind that is disciplined. There are certain rules and guidelines in life, the ones you respect and imbibe, form your character. Character is your first weapon; it gives you the required focus and composure. Unfortunately; a lot of people do not value character. Listen; your character tells what your perspective in life, the level of knowledge you have. It tells how much knowledge you have picked from your experiences and the experiences of others. This knowledge is relevant in the day of the battle. It shows your level of maturity; maturity in turn determines your calmness, and calmness is going to tell how focused you are on the problem.

Thirdly, is discipline. What do you do in times of challenges? Do you run from it, try to drink it away or face it and beat it? Discipline comes from training; and here we're talking about mental training. When that hurricane starts blowing do you run? I ask again. Running can't stop it; you're only wasting time; useful time. It's your battle, and it's going to pass on. Discipline actually precedes character. Discipline shapes character. Without discipline, you'll get blown away. Discipline is like having strong feet that are firm on the ground. You can stand the storm and calmly think of what you need to do.

Then hope. It's vital, so vital to your ability to win. Hope tells you it's going to be a big victory for you; hope tells you this one isn't going to fracture you. In everything; see the sweeter end, after you have won the battles. Understand that there might be scars after the storm batters you; but you know what; the scars are the proof of your victory! So have a big hope all the time.

Well, I can't possibly tell you every step there is to take to push the hurricane; yes, because there are peculiar, complicated cases. But in all, these are a broad and very necessary set of weaponry, hold them and you are ready for most of the hurricanes.

So, will you be pushing that hurricane?