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Sunday, June 17, 2012

Birthday Post: Don't Leave Your Space.


As I write this, I think of aging and I wonder on the experiences that come with it. Today, I am a year older. My beards have grown; stronger and more stubborn for incessant shaving. There are so many things to talk about from the 365 days gone by, but I will not blabber about all. I am not even sure of how their details were. Times have passed and confusions have matured into what little understanding I now daily survive on. In honesty, I hate this maturity, it is a challenging one for me, one that winds on, giving only drops of fulfillments. Though, there have been many joyful seasons and my adulthood may have been sharpened by them. On those, I will begin this note. And on other jarring unfulfilled memories, I would shelf. Today, I am to reflect to advance and not bathe in the puddle of unaccomplished dreams. In this view, I would share some thoughts.

I am becoming old and more responsibilities are calling. How I desired to be ten again. Then, I had cakes, birthday pictures and naivety to go with.

Leaving the Comfort Zone – my space

Whoever said staying in a comfort zone inhibits anything worthwhile obviously needs a rethink. As applicable to my present situation, I wouldn’t take a comfort zone as that pleasurable space that encourages lassitude. Before now, I may have been subscribing to the dogma that necessarily believes a comfort zone to be a danger-zone for development. Such belief only shows a lack in the many conclusions many arrive at in finding explanations to unknown things. I do not hold self-flagellation burnishes success for anyone. A comfort zone is a personal space that allows free assemblage and recodifications of effective ideas. Leaving one’s comfort zone is a disastrous attempt that may never be recovered from. That few happen upon success only after they do away with it, is just a probability that some discomfort may stir unlikely creative performance. For me, I do not share such philosophy. I would take a thin slice from my present condition to back my claim. I just started a degree programme in some course, which noticeably, has temporarily scattered my mode of living. Now, I have to bear sharing a cramped space with others as accommodation facility on the school’s campus. You must have noticed, before now, that this blog went on forced break for months. That, only, speaks loud of the peril in forfeiting one’s comfort zone. Until holiday comes, my writing activities will have to be done in fragments. Does the end then balance the means? I should hope so just to be consoled.

Making Wishes
If I must make wishes, even when there are no cakes and candles, I would wish time and space fall into favourable places for me as I look forward to this new journey with hopeful eyes. It is my birthday and I am happy it is. Happy birthday, Joseph Omotayo.


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I am collecting some contemporary African literatures for review purpose next month, and I would need some suggestions. Drop some in the comment box.

5 comments:

  1. Hey! Happy Birthday to you.. Welcome back.
    I so wish I was still very young myself. As one grows older the pressures and responsibilities increase.

    Staying in your comfort zone is not a bad thing at all. Much of our time should be spent there (as author Sean Covey put it), but I think it is also important to take little baby steps out of our comfort zone once in a while when needed. If for example staying in one's comfort zone includes being shy to speak in public and dreading it at all cost, I think one should make an effort to step out just a little bit out of their comfort zone, in that aspect and improve their public speaking skills, because one day they might need to speak in public and their inability to might hinder a part of their progress in life, career etc. Just saying.

    I'll suggest The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's wives by Lola Shoneyin

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  2. Thank you so much, Ay! Yeah, now I am back.

    I do not also support hiding in one's comfort zone as an escape from responsibilities and the bold steps one must take as a person. What I believe is that, a creative mind is better maximised well in the zone.

    I have read the Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives. I have it on my bookshelf. In fact, I asked a friend to do a review on it and he did it on this space: http://criticalliteraturereview.blogspot.com/2011/10/review-secret-lives-of-baba-segis-wives.html

    Also, another friend did a comparison of the book with another book here: http://criticalliteraturereview.blogspot.com/2011/11/between-lola-shoneyins-and-abimbola.html

    Both reviews were requested.

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  3. Welcome back Joe. Have you read the two new Paressia books?

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  4. Happy Birthday
    I believe leaving one's comfort zone is neccesary for self-development
    However, success can only be achieved if the person still retains some creature comforts

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  5. @Myne. Thanks for welcoming me back. It is really great to be back here. I only know of Richard Ali's City of Memories. What is the title of the second one?

    @N.I.L Thanks ma'am. I can recollect you commented on my last year's birthday post when it was published. Oh! Time really does fly. Thank you. Thank you. I would agree with you in as much as the new space allows one to "retain some creature comforts".

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