...just window dressings...[by Ade Adejumo]

This article is best enjoyed whilst listening to the song “Jamaica Farewell” by Harry Belafonte - https://open.spotify.com/track/24dYJMPdnXXoHEu50MwRVN?si=3295ee9f1c254320

Things happen that sometimes make us question the values we hold dear. I am not immune to facing these questions.

Sometimes I find myself in situations where I’d have sworn I would have reacted better. Alas, I often surprise myself by how differently I find my reactions. Why this happens isn’t farfetched. It implies that we are never certain or properly prepared for anything.

Frequently, I interrogate my reactions to certain things that concern me, especially my relationships with people. More often than I would want to admit, it never did go as planned. I reckon this is the same for a lot of people. The difference between how we believe we’d react to a situation from the outside looking in is always in contrast to how we act when things hit close to home. This disparity is not because we lack what was needed to scale through but we often overestimate how much in control we truly are of our emotions. We always over-estimate our preparedness.

Why this happens is something we can only postulate on. However, the main struggle remains the acceptance of our shortcomings. Giving over to the reality that you are never truly in control even when you are. Realizing that most times, we can only hope for the ideal but often we rarely get the ideal and are forced to adapt in real time. Sadly, most of us are never truly good at reacting under pressure so we falter.

Nevertheless, when we accept the inevitability of our flaws, we realize that being prepared is much more than having a preconceived response to the situations around us. Sometimes it is knowing that the best way to stay prepared is to accept that preparations are just window dressings for how truly unprepared we are. This small shift in perspective holds salient truths.

Photo by Matt Artz on Unsplash

These subtle realizations usually spark the brightest of flames in those moments of doubt. It is a realization that the best way to prepare for any situation is to accept our inadequacy in being prepared.

Cheers!

Notes on the Guest Author:

Ade Adejumo is a writer and a graduate of Medical Laboratory Science from the University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. When he’s not busy writing, he buries his head in academic journals and has a love for rap music and football.

PS. Today’s my mum’s birthday. Send her some best wishes in the comments.