Live and let live
I am always fascinated by this picture and it makes me wonder with us humans. Today, this picture captures the title of this write up because of my childhood friend who life has been good to. It was in James Frey’s book, “A million little pieces” that I first understood this title to mean that you should live as life blesses you while tolerating others even when you do not want to help.

My friend, Sarah called me today to express how she feels constrained to share her joy with another childhood friend because things ain’t looking good for the latter. Sarah thought she had it all; beauty, employed with a new generation bank, good salary, beautiful house, dotting spouse, holiday trips abroad in choice locations and now just promoted  as a branch manager. She no longer wanted Ifueko in her space because Ifueko was a trained lawyer but had no job and could not even afford to pay for store space to sell clothes. 

It was a matter of thriving differently.
Every now and then, I hear of friendship, relationship gone sour because of changes in life that happen as a result of circumstances beyond human control. This is not stating much, given that people part ways regularly and may be for no reason at all. 

But, can people really coexist in the midst of different phases? Can a marriage thrive when one person is blooming and the other partner seem not to make any contribution to the home? Can long-term friendships thrive when one friend seem to be excelling in one area of life that is paramount to him or her and maintain a concrete relationship with another who life seem to have “happened” to and is barely able to get by?

See these two plants and observe that no one is on the others space. One is taller (without any leaf, withering) than the other (green, flourishing leaves). The leafless is not dead and its own season to bloom will come too. Their differences is attributed to alot of factors. I remember the day i took the picture. The plants together grabbed my attention and the weather was cold, windy but sunny with dried air.

Such is life. There is enough room for everyone. We all bloom differently and at different times. We maybe born same day but grow differently and achieve different heights in life. We may be in same location, getting same food or nourishment but bloom in different ways. Our differences may be due to different factors like; genetics, education, family, behaviour e.t.c.
What should matter is that we cheer on the other and wait our own turn to blosom. You may have been fashioned to grow speedily but do not laugh at the one that grows slowly.
You may have so much that you can spread round to everyone around you all year, do not mock those that can only have for short periods.

Just like these two plants, we are here together and can share our bloom times. We maybe created differently for the same world but we are all meant to thrive in different seasons. Life is beautiful when we live and tolerate others. That is what makes life more interesting and fulfilling.