Scoring a Goal

Scoring a goal

I was thinking this morning... about achieving goals. The much anticipated second leg Champions league matches between Liverpool and Manchester City, Barcelona and Roma and Real Madrid and Juventus were simply breathtaking. Liverpool, Barcelona and Real Madrid all went into the second leg with a three goal advantage, meaning it will only take a miracle for their opposition to overturn the deficit.

 

Against all odds, Roma did the magic, Real Madrid was given the biggest fright of all their European life and as for Liverpool versus Manchester City, when the match finally began, within two minutes, Manchester City had scored and their fans were optimistic that they will overcome the odds. Thy battled the for the next 43 minutes without the ball finding the net of their opponent. At this point, the commentator said, 'the most difficult thing to do in a football match is to score a goal.'

 

Initially the statement seems like a no-brainer to me, but as I thought about it, I realized it was simple but profound. I wondered why it was easier to score in a basketball game than football even though the basket is a lot smaller than the goal post. If you are outside and watching a football match, you wonder why they can't just kick the ball through the post considering the goal keeper is less than 20% the area of the post. But when you are in, then you will agree that 'the most difficult thing to do in a football match is to score a goal.' It is not the dribbling, throwing or kicking the ball towards the goal, it is putting the ball into the net that is most difficult.

 

I recalled in October 2014, when Nigerians were bemoaning the paltry electricity we generate, Babatunde Raji Fashola had boasted that it was not rocket science to generate electricity and that if given the opportunity he will double generation in 6 months. Everyone believed this man can capture lightening in a bottle and was willing to give him a chance. Fashola was vigorously warming up by the side, eager to get into the pitch. When he eventually went into the field of play in 2015 as Super Minister in charge of Power, Housing and Works, everyone expected instant performance like Mo Salah or Ronaldo, but three years on, he has since realized that 'the most difficult thing to do in a football match is to score a goal.'

 

I have discovered that life is like a football match. You sometimes see an empty post ahead of you, you dribble like Messi, huff and puff like Buffon, you can even have the best player like Ronaldo in your team, but you still discover that the most difficult thing to do in a football match is o score a goal. Scoring is difficult because there is an opposition with no other job than to prevent you from scoring. Sometimes, without opposition, you can be calamitous in front of goal like Arsenal strikers (apologies to Arsenal fans) or Raheem Sterling's miss-of-the-season in Manchester City's 1-1 draw at Burnley, justifying the saying that the most difficult thing to do in a football match is to score a goal.

 

On this day, my prayer is that you will score all the life goals you have been praying and working so hard to score, because Psalms 108:13 says, 'With God on our side, we will win.'

 

Happy Sunday.

 

.....Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey.

I was thinking this morning........... about Stress

Stress

I was thinking this morning ..... about stress. I started last week on a high, with an early Monday morning boat ride out of town for an inspection. No breakfast or even time to think of one. When we were done by lunchtime, I was out of time and was going to miss my boat ride back. So I skipped lunch and headed straight to the jetty. By whiskers, I was able to get into the boat just before it set off. I took my seat at the last row, took a deep breath and with eyes shut, I thought about how stressful life can be and then I remembered this gist that made me smile.

It was about an okada man that worked till 2am. On getting home, he decided to take a bath. He suddenly ran out naked shouting ghost! ghost!! ghost!!! Narrating his ordeal, he said he has poured water on his head several times but it's not touching his head. Neighbours rushed out only to discover he didn't remove his helmet before having his bath. Hmm!!! I giggled and for the first time I agreed with the words of Richard Carlson that 'Stress is nothing more than a socially acceptable form of mental illness.'

As I gave the words of Richard Carlson some more thought, it occurred to me that like the okada man, stress may be responsible for the flashes of insanity we are seeing around the world. Think about it, after a traumatic 2016/2017 season, Arsenal FC fans were hoping for some joy early this season. Guess what? After narrowly winning their opening match, they lost to Stoke City and were stunned by Liverpool. While everyone expected Arsene to strengthen the team while the transfer window remained open, he shocked everyone and sold Ox to Liverpool and brought in 'Nobodinho.' Like the okada man, he is expecting water to touch his head while he has his helmet on. Oh it must be stress that is responsible for the insanity flash.

Trust me, it has to be stress that is causing these flashes of insanity. Imagine the news of three passengers on board Air Peace flight from Lagos to Abuja being arrested and charged to court for pointing out and demanding an explanation as to why the emergency exits on the plane were blocked with seats. Instead of FAAN and NCAA grounding the aircraft and arresting the personnel that cleared the aircraft, they arrested the passengers that complained for being unruly. Yes, it must be stress that is responsible for this insanity flash.

It must be financial stress that will make a man pummel his wife simply because she asked him for money. Oh it must be 'spiritual stress' that will make a Professor kill his SAN younger brother in Ibadan because they had a dispute over their father's property. Both men only recently returned back to Nigeria after sojourning abroad. Please don't ask me what 'spiritual stress' is.

As you go out today and observe or read about these flashes of insanity, many may not be as a result of home trouble, they may just be from stress. Whatever, it is you are going through, just RELAX, God is in control.

Have a very happy and RESTFUL Sunday.

.......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey.