Muhammed my Son,
I salute you once again with enthusiasm and buoyant joy! This is yet another epistle among the many penned to you so far; the first one being on the subject of Reading as a ‘jangsa’ to my good friend, the Prince of Brikama who sparred with Dida Halake back then as Rex tried to coax and cajole his ‘nephew’ to tone down his angry rhetoric and be humble. The nephew never listened, and instead ended up coaxing and coercing his uncle into his inner sanctum as the chief drummer of his bugarabu ensemble.
Indeed I was glad couple of days ago when you sent me a message quoting from that letter which was published by the Daily Observer, August 2004. I must cite the quote you sent me for it is indeed a great source of inspiration for anyone who truly yearns for authentic knowledge in a sustainable manner. Here’s segment from the letter:
By reading I have come to realise how to get better at reading. The other day I read a formula for reading, which says
1. The more you read, the better you get at it. The better you get at it, the more you like it; and the more you like it, the more you do it.
2. And the more you read, the more you know; and the more you know, the smarter you grow
But so much on that subject my son, this letter is on a matter that I have not only studied but also tried to live for the past decade and a half. It is a fact of life that once people realise your God-given talent and perceived trajectory into success kingdom, plots will be forged to try to annoy you, discourage you, slander you and even try to kill you. Be assured my son, the foregoing statement is not meant for any literary enhancement like hyperbole. It is the truth and nothing but the truth!
So how do you deal with such “harsh realities of life” as the guest speaker, during my high school graduation at St Peter’s Technical, called them? There are many ways to deal with such unpleasant realities of life my son, but I shall give you a straight route; a clear way to that cherished (but often evasive) destination of Resilience and joyful life style based on a positive mental attitude.
The key, my son, is set in but one thing: FAITH!
Now I am not here to give you any thick sermon for I know that you have spent quite a while in America and the system there is not very kind to things of Godly appeal any longer. So sad for a nation that once prided itself with just about the greatest motto of all time: In God We Trust! Oh how I praised “the land of the free and the home of the brave” in my book The Way to Happiness for embracing such a motto!
Faith in the One True God is the key, the shield and the buoy you need in the journey to every good thing you may want. In his commentary on Napoleon Hill’s classic Think and Grow Rich, the legendary motivational speaker and author, Earl Nightingale quoted Napoleon Bonaparte as having said, “All the scholastic scaffolding falls, as a ruined edifice, before one single word — faith!”
As the legendary German writer/philosopher Goethe also taught, “Epochs of faith are epochs of fruitfulness: but epochs of unbelief, however glittering, are barren of all permanent good.”
So why must you fear any situation, plot, or direct attack of any shade or colour? Fear is the vehicle for negative energy to travel fast within your system; banish it and keep it at bay with rock solid faith and constant nourishment of the keys to sustainable positive energy: hope, enthusiasm, and love.
As I pen these lines, I am sitting on the glorious beach around Monkey Park in Kololi, facing the vast Atlantic Sea that separates you and I (physically) and as the waves roll and roar I hear a message deep and clear. Allah tells/warns us in the Qur’an “Wa maa ya’lamu Junooda Rabbika illaa Huwa!” (And none knows the soldiers of Your Lord except Him!). With that, why should fear be your dear? Indeed I made a Facebook post that literarily popped up in my heart last week to this effect: “I know your fears and worries but they don’t bother me. Take your trepidation and leave me with my inspiration!”
The foregoing post had nothing to do with you but other people not so acquainted with the real meaning of FAITH and they come to you with trembling hearts concerning certain matters (that create fear in their hearts) that are but natural things that must be dealt with in life.
My Son, my Facebook post on my public figure profile this morning is from Psalm 27: The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
And then a Christian friend of mine sent me a message thanking me thus:
Ooooh my brother. You’ve just made my day with that quote from Psalm 27. It’s my daily song. Wooow. Thanks for sharing and letting others know … Keep inspiring and mentoring. We’re with you in spirit. May God’s will continue to be done in our lives always. May He continue to be the light of our salvation and the stronghold of our lives. Remain in the grace and presence of the Lord always with our beloved family. The Lord God in Isaiah 43 verse 1 said: ” Fear not. You did not choose me. I chose you. I call you by your name. You’re mine.” No one knows the created more than the Creator. Praise and thanks to Him always. Do have a spirit-filled day and days ahead. Thanks for shaping and sharpening the productive base of our dear motherland – the human capital. Posterity is the best judge. We were all created on purpose for a purpose. Continue to aspire to inspire before you expire!
What a touching message! I shared it on my personal Facebook wall with the following Qur’anic quote on top from verse 3 of Surah Talaq: And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent.
Such is the message of assurance from the Creator, the Most Gracious, and the Most Merciful. With these thoughts constantly renewed in your mind and acted in your life, there is no force that can stop you. Shall I not end then with the buoyant words of the Desiderata:
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
Yours Faithfully
Fafa
(Momodou Sabally)
