WALKING RESTLESSLY

'Restless feet may walk into a snake pit’

There are many people with restless feet living in the world today. Are you one of them? Please, don’t say no until you finish reading this post. Unfortunately, majority of the people who fall into this category do not usually know they possess restless feet until someone else tells them. After reading today’s post, you are expected to examine yourself whether your feet are restless or not.

Someone is assumed to possess restless feet if the person is not satisfied to be at rest or in peace; unable to be still or unsteady; uneasy or continually moving. People with restless feet are never tired of going to several places within a very short period of time for no special reason. They spend the greater part of their life walking without reaching a fulfilling or comfortable destination. Most people whose feet are restless do not usually know where they are going, they only believe in walking to almost everywhere. Hence, our ancestors believe that people with restless feet may mistakenly walk into trouble (like the snake pit or even a more dangerous place) since they practically walk everywhere with no restrictions.

Also in life, many of us crave and clamor for freedom in whatever we do. We want to be free, we want our kids to be free and we want our race, continent, country or society to be totally free. At times, we may be right to compare a free person to the person with restless feet because he/she has the right to move anywhere. We fight for freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of movement and freedom from whatever that holds us down but we forget to acknowledge that the only free people are the dead ones. As long as man is still breathing on earth, there is nothing like total or true freedom. Either you like it or not, everyone is a slave to nature. No matter how you struggle to be free from nature, there are some natural controls that are meant to pull you back until you finally accept to die.

A child who believes he/she is free to talk anyhow (without control) to his/her parents or the elders in the society may be actually free (according to the law) to abuse the elders but the child should not forget that the elders are also free to rain potent curses on whoever that crosses their path. A student who thinks he is free to make friends with whomever that he likes (without control) may eventually find himself among criminals and terrorists. The man who thinks he is free to drink as many bottles of beer as possible with his money may end up ruining his life. A young lady who feels she is free to do whatever she wishes to do with her body all in the name of fashion may end up damaging her body. A scholar who chooses to study whatever that exists everywhere he goes may end up getting confused in life. A business man who feels he is free to do any business or invest in any juicy opportunities that come to him may end up in penury. An employee who works restlessly because of certain reward from her employer may soon break down and endanger her health.

Freedom is good but too much of it leads to restlessness. There is a very thin line between a free man and a restless man. As from today, start examining what you do and how you do it. Be careful of whatever you enjoy doing in life; they are common traps to walking restlessly. Remember, freedom don’t always make you a man, your ability to liberally control yourself during some critical moments in your life makes you a man. Be careful, your restless feet may soon lead you into a snake pit. May you never fall in life.

Don't start your day without a word from the ancestors...remember, a word is enough for the wise. Sign up with us for a daily feed. Follow @our_ancestors on twitter or email: wordsofourancestors@gmail.com. May your days be plenty!

RAISING A CHILD

‘It takes a whole village to raise a child’

It takes only two people to produce a child but it takes more than two people to raise the child. Once a child is born into the world, many people come to celebrate with the family of the child. From the moment of the celebration, the child is exposed to different faces apart from the face of its mother or other family members.

Then, the child would grow up to learn about the environment and the people in the neighborhood. Later, the child would go to school and meet new friends from different background and with different upbringing. While relating with the new friends, the child may choose to influence the new friends or allow himself/herself to be influenced by them. The teachers and the school management also play a very special role in raising up a child while at school. Then outside the school; the society, the social and electronic media, the government and the religious organizations are also responsible for raising up a child. Whatever a child chooses to learn from any of these mediums while growing up is likely to determine what the child would become in life.

Like the child described above, it takes only the creator to create us but it takes the whole world to raise us (i.e. it takes more than our parents or family members to raise us). So, as long as you are in the world, you can’t run away from being influenced by the world. You can only determine if you want to be influenced positively or negatively as you grow up in life.

There are many distractions in the world today that may distract you from moving farther in life. You need to set some principles for yourself and endeavor to strictly adhere to the principles. If you choose to listen to everybody in life and do everything they ask you to do, you may end up spending the rest of your life in the asylum. Your principles should help you to determine what you accept into your life, who you relate with, where you go, what you do and how you do things in life.

Apart from that, you are expected to know that it takes more than your parents to determine your success in life (though they constitute the major part). Your friends, your colleagues at work, your employees, your employer, your partners, your political leaders, your religious leaders, your landlord, your tenants, your house help, your janitors, your relatives, your neighbors, your critics, your competitors and of course your enemies are all created by nature to raise you in life.

If you fail to start seeing everyone around you as your destiny helper (especially your critics, competitors or enemies) you may never move ahead in life. Don’t run away from your enemies and don’t embrace them but be yourself. At times, your enemies may be your best teacher in life. You are not expected to follow or accept everything that your critics throw at you, you are only meant to learn from them. Remember, it takes a whole village to raise a child.

May you never die in ignorance.

Don't start your day without a word from the ancestors...remember, a word is enough for the wise. Sign up with us for a daily feed. Follow @our_ancestors on twitter or email: wordsofourancestors@gmail.com. May your days be plenty!

WHAT DO YOU KNOW?

‘He who does not know one thing knows another’

It is almost impossible for someone to know everything in life. You may know a bit of many things but it is impossible for someone to know everything about everything in life (except if you are the creator of yourself and everything in life).

Our ancestors believe that a person cannot be called a fool because he/she does not know something. A fool is someone who does not know anything but claims to know everything. It is not compulsory for someone to know everything, but it is necessary for one to know at least one thing and endeavor to know it well.

So, learn how to identify what you know, appreciate it and strife to know it well. Experts, professionals, specialists are not people who know many things; they are ordinary people who choose to study and do one thing, then spend the rest of their life by applying their knowledge( in a particular field) to solve many things.

People who claim to be intelligent or wise because they know many things are usually not very effective in life. They spend the greater part of their life in studying many things and fail to apply their knowledge to life. It is better to know one or few things that would reproduce or transform many things than to know many things that are practically equal to nothing. There are many people in the world today who are so anxious about knowing everything to the extent that they end up knowing nothing.

What do you know?

How knowledgeable are you in it?

How beneficial is your knowledge to humanity?

These three questions should be the major factors that influence your achievements in life. You are not yet an achiever if you fail to answer any of the questions positively.

An African who does not know how to speak good English should not be seen as an idiot or illiterate because it does not take only English language to be a literate. If you choose to study and speak your language, it is advisable that you study it thoroughly and speak it stylishly or eloquently so as to encourage others to learn it. The English that you study, read and speak today had once been seen as an inferior language by several scholars, but the inability of some people to see the language as inferior makes it the global language of today. American English had once been considered as substandard English, but today more people speak and use American English than the Queen’s English.

Whenever people castigate you for what you don’t know, instead of being angry or discouraged, show them what you know and let them respect you for what you know. Remember, he who does not know one thing may be an expert in another.

Don't start your day without a word from the ancestors...remember, a word is enough for the wise. Sign up with us for a daily feed. Follow @our_ancestors on twitter or email: wordsofourancestors@gmail.com. May your days be plenty!

THE SUGARCANE'S JOINT

'Sugarcane is sweetest at the joint'

 

Have you ever tasted any bitter sugarcane before? Yes, I mean very bitter. Even if it is spoilt or rotten, it is naturally impossible for any sugarcane to have a bitter taste. The taste of sweetness in sugarcane starts from its name (i.e. the cane that is naturally sugary).

However sweet any sugarcane is, our ancestors believe that its sweetest part is its joint. The body of almost every sugarcane is usually divided into segments which are separated by a joint. Each joint has a very high level of concentration of sugar that encourages one to move to the next segment. So, every joint indicates the end or beginning of another segment of the sugarcane. The natural irony behind sugarcane is that its toughest part (the joint) is usually the toughest, hardest and sweetest part.

Also, the toughest and hardest moments of our life are the most enjoyable and most beneficial to us. The best time to learn how to live a better life and how to move to a greater level of happiness in life is the time that we consider as the toughest or hardest for us. People that have passed through hardship or challenging situations in life are usually considered as the wisest, bravest and greatest people in life because they have decided to learn from each trial, challenge and misfortune they encounter in life.

You may never value the essence of live if you had never been critically sick. You may never appreciate the creator for the provision of money if you had never been poverty stricken. You may never appreciate the value of food if you had never been terribly hungry. Also, you may not understand the depth of friendship or relationship if you had never been isolated by people.

A student may never know that the time of examination is the sweetest part of schooling until he/she graduates from school. We need to learn how to embrace our challenges in life and tackle them severely until we move to the next level. Whatever we go through in life today is like the sugarcane joint that will definitely lead to a greater level. Don’t be afraid, don’t complain and don’t relent, enjoy every bit of your sugarcane in life.

Life is like sugarcane, enjoy the sugar and endure the strokes of the cane!

Don't start your day without a word from the ancestors...remember, a word is enough for the wise. Sign up with us for a daily feed. Follow @our_ancestors on twitter or email: wordsofourancestors@gmail.com. May your days be plenty!

EATING AN ELEPHANT

‘The best way to eat an elephant in your path is to cut it up into little pieces’

An elephant is a massively huge animal that is usually found in a big forest. Our ancestors believe that nobody encounters an elephant in the forest and points a finger at it in order to show other people. Whenever an elephant walks on your path in the forest, you don’t need to call other people’s attention, everyone trembles at the sight of its magnificence.

Elephants are not animals that hunters can kill anyhow. It takes the strongest or bravest hunter in the jungle to kill an elephant. So, an elephant’s meat is always scarce in the market. It is also usually very difficult for people to eat elephants just as they eat other animals in the forest. Whosoever wishes to eat an elephant has to spend some time to cut it into little pieces before setting it on fire.

Also in life, some of our dreams, goals, projects, ambitions, expectations, desires or demand from people may be considered as an elephant. Some of us invest our quality time in thinking and dreaming to achieve big things in life. We dream to be the best that no one else can ever imagine, we desire to be the greatest in our field of interest, we expect to do things that many people consider impossible, etc. Fine, it is good to think big, but it is better to start small.

Instead of eating your elephant in whole, it is better to cut it into little pieces. Don’t be too greedy; it is better to enjoy every bit of what you eat than to swallow a big chunk and latter vomit it. People who usually take the risk of starting greatly are always at the risk of falling greatly. At times, it is always good to learn from each step we take while threading a path than ignoring the steps by flying to the destination.

The best way to start a big business, a long lasting relationship, a great career or an intensive project is to cut it into little pieces, then start working on it little by little. There is always a special lesson for you to learn at each stage of your involvement in life, take time to learn and ensure that you are promoted to the next stage (don’t foolishly promote yourself, the promotion comes naturally). Once you skip a stage in life, nature has a special way of conducting another examination for you, until you pass each stage, you may never move to your next level of achievement. May you never be too anxious to miss your targets in life!

Don't start your day without a word from the ancestors...remember, a word is enough for the wise. Sign up with us for a daily feed. Follow @our_ancestors on twitter or email: wordsofourancestors@gmail.com. May your days be plenty!

ARE YOU GOOD OR BAD?

‘You cannot know the good within yourself if you cannot see it in others’

Our ancestors believe that a good person is the person who usually sees the good things in others or someone who often says good things about other people. A good man is not the man who never sees or ignores the mistakes or bad characters of other people; instead, he focuses on appreciating the good qualities in others and correcting their mistakes or shortcomings through his lifestyle. A good man should not be mistaken for a man who deceives others or someone who often flatters other people.

It is very easy for a good person to attract other good persons to himself/herself. So, it may be wrong for a good person to assume or conclude that he/she is always surrounded by bad people. It is only bad people who usually see bad things in others. This explains why people who kill other people are always afraid of being killed by anybody; people who are not trustworthy do not always trust other people, people who are dubious are usually the smartest because they do not want to fall into other people’s trap.

There are a lot of good people around us that we do not usually appreciate in our society today. Take your time to be nice to the people you see around you and you would be surprised to see the good qualities they possess. The hoodlums in your neighborhood, the idiots, the gangsters, your driver, your house help, the bus conductor and the hopeless people that you see around you today may be your greatest savior in the time of need. Remember, the people who you often castigate and ignore today because they are bad may never consider you as a good person whenever you need their attention tomorrow.

We do not become a good person overnight, it starts from the way we appreciate our creator, our parents, our loved ones, our superiors, our followers, our competitors and of course the strangers in our neighborhood. You cannot know the good within yourself if you cannot see it in others. Life is more enjoyable when we learn how to appreciate the good qualities that are exhibited by other people.

Don't start your day without a word from the ancestors...remember, a word is enough for the wise. Sign up with us for a daily feed. Follow @our_ancestors on twitter or email: wordsofourancestors@gmail.com. May your days be plenty!

EATING A CANE RAT

‘It is within the confines of one’s home that one eats a cane rat with tumor’ (Yoruba)

Cane rat, also known as grass cutter, or cutting grass, is a type of rodent found throughout Africa. Cane rats are eaten in some African countries and are pest species on many crops. They range in body length from 35 to 60 centimeters. They are heavily-built rodents, with bristly brown fur speckled with yellow or grey. Cane rats are widely distributed and farmers expend substantial energy fencing the rodents out of their fields, but they are also valued as a source of bush meat in West and Central Africa.

Our ancestors believe that a cane rat with tumor is a special kind of rat with deformity. Cane rats with tumors are assumed to be abnormal or rare in the bush. However delicious a roasted or cooked cane rat (with tumor) could taste, it is advisable that one should not eat it in the open. People who choose to eat cane rats with tumor do not tell or show it to other people. Anyone who eats a cane rat with tumor in the public does not only expose his/her foolishness to the people in the neighborhood, it is usually considered as a great taboo in the sight of our ancestors.

Also in life, there are some things that are not meant to be shared or done in the public. There are many words, criticisms, opinions and ideas against the people who are very close to us that shouldn’t be exposed to the public. In several cases, most of us present our points to many other people and justify ourselves against the personality of our closest friends, colleagues, business partners or spouse, based on some selfish and biased reasons. The painful thing about exposing the weaknesses and foolishness of the people that are closer to us (our parents, spouse, closest friends, role models, colleagues at work or business partners) in the open is that we are indirectly exposing our foolishness and stupidity to the world.

There are usually better ways to settle grudges, disagreements, disputes or even war between two intimate entities. It is natural for people to misunderstand one another in some cases in life. We need to understand and learn how to tolerate with each other’s differences. At times, it is better to rebuke, criticize, correct and condemn people that are closer to us in the confines of our room than publicizing it. So, whenever you think of disgracing, challenging, or mocking people that are special to you in public, always remember that it is within the confines of one’s home that one eats a cane rat with tumor. May you always attract blessings and not curses to yourself as a result of your actions or reactions in life.

Don't start your day without a word from the ancestors...remember, a word is enough for the wise. Sign up with us for a daily feed. Follow @our_ancestors on twitter or email: wordsofourancestors@gmail.com. May your days be plenty!

LIFT YOUR ARMS

‘It is the child that lifts up its arms who asks to be picked up’ (Yoruba)

Before many children start talking, there are various ways that most of them could use to communicate with their parents; one of these ways is the act of lifting up their arms. When a child lifts up its arms before its mother or the elders, it automatically suggests that the child needs to be lifted. This means that if a child refuses to lift up its arms, there are no other means that his/her parents could use to determine what the child exactly needs.

However, when a child cries, it passes several signals to the child’s parents or to the elders around. Most parents could conclude that the child is hungry, irritated, in pains or frightened. The kind of attention that a child commands by crying is totally different from the one that the child gets when it directly lifts up its arms.

Also in life, like the little children, most of us prefer to cry and murmur instead of lifting up our hands. We believe we can attract people’s attention by shouting and crying instead of lifting up our arms. Hence we receive several other things from the people who are attracted to us as a result of our shout and cry, but they refuse to lift us up.

The act of lifting up one’s arms can be related to your personal contribution to your success in life. Wonders don’t just happen in life, it takes your personal effort and willingness to experience the unimaginable before you could achieve some great things in life. Don’t just sit helplessly or stand hopelessly anywhere, hoping that someday change will come. Don’t be deceived, change doesn't come to anybody anyhow, you need to step forward and lift your arms in order to pull the change that you want in your life.

When you are lifted in life, most of your problems are solved. A child that is lifted can never complain of hunger because the child is assumed to be closer to its mother’s breast than just being on the ground. Apart from hunger, it is easier for a mother to understand and observe a child that she carries than some children who walk helplessly on the ground.

Whenever you face too many problems in life, whenever you are afraid of moving forward in life, whenever you are hopeless, whenever you feel that you do not get enough care and respect from the people you find around you, whenever you are sick, whenever you are hungry, whenever you need to step to a greater level in your life, whenever you need to be ahead of your colleagues in life and whenever you want to be favored by nature, it is not the best time for you to complain, murmur, shout or cry. Instead of crying, it is better for you to act maturely by lifting your arms in order to be lifted.

At times, many people prefer to advertise their problems to other people instead of searching for solutions. If you do not understand what you need exactly, many people who want to help you may never be willing to assist you. You need to be precise about what you want from life and how you want your problems to be solved before other people can be assigned by nature to lift you up.

So, as from today, always endeavor to lift your arms when you are in trouble, don’t just cry or complain about your situation. May you be lifted above your troubles in life.

Don't start your day without a word from the ancestors...remember, a word is enough for the wise. Sign up with us for a daily feed. Follow @our_ancestors on twitter or email: wordsofourancestors@gmail.com. May your days be plenty!

HOW DO YOU WALK?

‘The crab says that when you see it walking clumsily, it does not mean that it has lost its way’

Most crabs usually walk sideways; this is the behavior which gives us the word crabwise. It is simply because of the articulation of their legs which makes a sidelong gait more efficient. In most cases, people always find it difficult to study the steps and movements of crabs. One cannot easily determine where crabs are going to, from the way they move. It takes only a smart observer to examine, monitor and understand the clumsy movement of crabs.

There are many people who behave like crabs in life today. Most of them are not very easy to understand by other people. At times, they pretend as if they do not know where they are going and they lead many people astray in life. Most of these people who behave like the crabs are usually our leaders in the society, organizations and some religious sects. Many people who follow them do not know where exactly they are heading to because the behavior, actions and reactions of the leaders are not predictive. These special set of people are the only ones who know where exactly they are going, those who choose to follow them are just blindly following them. It takes only a smart, intelligent and sensitive follower to examine, monitor and understand the clumsy movements of these leaders.

So, don’t judge your leaders, elders, rulers or boss because you do not understand some of their actions or reactions towards certain situations. Before you judge, take time to re-examine the situations from different perspectives and put yourself in their shoes. At times, most of the things we criticize people about are usually hidden somewhere in our life. These hidden characters may not be exposed until we attain certain positions in life.

Whenever you encounter difficult, complex and clumsily walking people in your life, always remember that when a crab walks clumsily, it does not mean that it has lost its way. Take time to study people objectively before you say anything good or bad about them. Be careful of what you say to people; someday, somehow they may come jumping at you.

If you still feel that your leaders, elders, rulers or boss do not know the way after you have closely examined, monitored and understood their movements, it is better for you to show them the way by your actions (not by your criticism or derogatory statements against them) and good works. At times, the best leaders in life are not the ones who wear the leadership title; they are those who choose to lead by following. May you walk and never miss your way!

Don't start your day without a word from the ancestors...remember, a word is enough for the wise. Sign up with us for a daily feed. Follow @our_ancestors on twitter or email: wordsofourancestors@gmail.com. May your days be plenty!

RUNNING BEHIND

‘You can run quicker than an old man but for his wisdom and words, you are behind’

After spending some time to learn how to crawl, stand and walk; many children are usually eager to step to the next level (i.e. the level where they can run freely without any natural limitation). In most cases, when children run, they run beyond control, many of them are not even afraid of falling (even if they fall frequently). Whenever children run, they move speedily, staggering, feeling very happy and free.

When a young athlete runs, many things are involved. The zeal, strength, enthusiasm, speed and determination to run are the natural features that motivate a young athlete. There are practically few things that can hinder a young athlete from running.

When comparing the zeal, strength, and burning passion of little children or young persons with the old folks, we could be tempted to conclude that old people are too lazy to run. Yes, they may be lazy to run because at their age, they are expected to have little or no zeal, strength, enthusiasm, speed and determination to run. But in the actual sense, old people can literarily run faster than little children or young folks based on their wealth of experience while running in their youthful days, their wisdom and words of advice. Instead of running, the old folks prefer to sit back and reflect. While reflecting, they determine how far a young person can go in any race.

Also in life, like the little children and the young athletes, there are several things that motivate us to run faster or quicker than our elders. Your physical strength, your education, your exposure, your skills, your technological or scientific knowledge, your creative ideas and your burning passion to excel in whatever you do are the natural features that motivate you to run faster than the elders.

No matter how good or proficient you are in whatever you choose to do today, you can never be more proficient than your elders. They may not have the physical strength to challenge you; their wealth of experience in life will always speak for them. Some elders may not even be involved in what you do, but while growing up, they might have encountered people with similar or common interest with you. So, when you listen to them, you will definitely run quicker in life.

As from today, never hesitate to respect the words of the elders (some may be senseless to you now, you will make sense out of them as you grow older). Always consider the opinion or advice of the elders before you start running with your best ideas in life. Remember, you can run quicker than an old man but for his wisdom and words, you are behind. May you run and never stagger or stumble in life.

Don't start your day without a word from the ancestors...remember, a word is enough for the wise. Sign up with us for a daily feed. Follow @our_ancestors on twitter or email: wordsofourancestors@gmail.com. May your days be plenty!

IF YOU CAN’T BITE THEM…

‘A black ant will not bite another’ 

The ancestors have chosen to be very brief and precise in their words for today. This is unlike the ancestors; so never hesitate to read and share what you learn today with your friends and loved ones.

Our ancestors believe that black ants do not usually bite another. Instead of biting other ants, black ants are known for their strength in unity, sensitivity to their environment and proactive nature.

Just like the black ants, if you can’t bite others, why don’t you socialize with them? Endeavor to derive some joy and pleasure in assisting other people around you to achieve their dreams today and be sensitive to whatever happens around you. Try to do something special, unique or sacrificial to someone that does not expect something from you today. Also, be ready to help whoever that asks for your help today. Instead of discouraging, insulting, humiliating, provoking, criticizing or condemning the people around you today, try to do something different. Smile, rejoice, encourage, appreciate, enlighten and socialize with the people you meet today and relax to watch the magical effects that your kind gestures would spring forth.

Never forget to share your experience with us as you explore the world today.

Don't start your day without a word from the ancestors...remember, a word is enough for the wise. Sign up with us for a daily feed. Follow @our_ancestors on twitter or email: wordsofourancestors@gmail.com. May your days be plenty!

THE LOVE OF HONEY

‘Bees sting him who loves honey’

Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants, and are known for their producing honey. There are nearly 20,000 known species of bees in seven to nine recognized families, though many are not described and the actual number is probably higher. They are found on every continent except Antarctica, in every habitat on the planet that contains insect-pollinated flowering plants.

Although a bee sting can be deadly to those with allergies, virtually all bee species are non-aggressive if undisturbed and many cannot sting at all. Humans are often a greater danger to bees, as bees can be affected or even harmed by encounters with toxic chemicals in the environment. So, it is essential to note here that bees don’t usually sting human except those who are so much in love with honey (the sweet product of a bee).

Like the bees, there are many things that are usually set by nature to sting us if we are so much engrossed in any task. Whatsoever we enjoy doing in life always has its bitter side. So, when we choose to devote our heart, time and energy on anything that we enjoy doing, we are expected to consider how we would tolerate the hardship and pains that may naturally come along with what we have chosen to do.

No doubt, honey is sweet. It has a long history of human consumption, and is used in various foods and beverages as a sweetener and flavoring. It also has a role in religion and symbolism. There are many people today who love honey but are not ready to be stung by the bees.

The insult or criticism you get from your clients as a result of what you enjoy doing at work may be considered as a sting of the bee in your profession, the pains and challenges you encounter in your marriage or relationship may be compared with the sting of a bee, the challenges you face while studying in school before graduating to another level may also be considered as a sting of the bee in your academics. There is no field you choose to passionately explore today that does not have its challenging forces which could be compared to the sting of the bees.

If you choose to abstain from honey because you can’t endure the sting of the bees, your strength is little. It is only the cowardly men who run away from their challenges in life, the brave ones face them. If you quit a job, relationship, contract or any task today because you feel you are not ready to face the painful challenges it attracts, do you know what you would encounter in your next choice of action?

If you want to be happy and fulfilled in life, always endeavor to do the things you enjoy doing and be prepared to endure the challenges that come on your way to fulfillment.

Don't start your day without a word from the ancestors...remember, a word is enough for the wise. Sign up with us for a daily feed. Follow @our_ancestors on twitter or email: wordsofourancestors@gmail.com. May your days be plenty!

THE BUSH SEES YOU

‘The bush in which you hide has eyes’

 

Our ancestors believe that whoever or whatever you can see in life has been fortified by nature (either physically or spiritually) with the power to see you. It is only our creator who has the power to see us and remain invisible to us. Although the creator may be invisible, we can only see him and appreciate him by the way we view nature and the amazing gifts of nature.

A man who chooses to hide and find refuge in the bush could be tempted to believe that he is the only one that sees the bush. He may fail to understand that just as he can see the bush, the bush also has the power to see clearly. So, whoever or whatever you choose to hide wherever or however in the bush can never be hidden to the bush. Don’t be deceived, the bush can see you.

Every day, every moment of your life, you are being watched and constantly monitored by nature. There is no hidden place or hidden thing in life. Whatever you choose to do today with your life should no longer be seen as secret. The only secret in life is the one that has never been said or revealed. Once a secret is unraveled to one person (and the only person may be you), it should no longer be seen as secret. Anything that you think you can do secretly will soon be exposed by nature someday. Nature has been designed in a way that whatever you choose to put into it today would be thrown back at you tomorrow.

You can never invest your time into doing bad things secretly and expect to hide it forever. One day, nature will show you or everyone around you whatever you have done in secret. It is possible for you to terrorize, oppress, kill, cheat, deceive and diabolically manipulate people today and come out to present yourself as a perfect man with noble character. Yes, you may think that you have some good and genuine reasons for doing bad things and hiding your identity. Remember that nothing changes the fact that whatever goes around comes around. The evil you choose to do in secret today (for a just cause) will soon bounce back at you (with justifiable reasons) tomorrow.

Also, if you choose to do something good and prefer to hide it today, nature has a special way of rewarding you for your good deeds. No man can hide your good works forever (not even you). At times, when you choose to do some good things in secret, do not be tempted to believe that nobody sees you. Remember, the bush can see; the wall, the air, the sky, the earth and every other gifts of nature are witnesses to your good works. Your reward would soon be publicized.

As from today, stop thinking that you can hide yourself in the bush of life forever. The bush in which you hide has eyes.

Don't start your day without a word from the ancestors...remember, a word is enough for the wise. Sign up with us for a daily feed. Follow @our_ancestors on twitter or email: wordsofourancestors@gmail.com. May your days be plenty!

BEFORE YOU GROW HORNS

‘Horns do not grow before the head’

Horns usually have a curved or spiral shape, often with ridges or fluting. A horn is a pointed projection of the skin on the head of various animals, consisting of a covering surrounding a core of living bone. Animals usually use their horns to defend themselves from predators and fight members of their own species for territory, dominance or mating priority.

Since horns have been described as an extension or projection of the head; our ancestors believe that they do not grow before the head. This means that without the existence of the head, no animal can grow horns on any other parts of the body.

Many times in life, some of us are given the opportunity by nature to be the horns on the head of our family, school, organization, institution, society or country. We cannot be described as the head because we are more elevated, projected, celebrated, famous and useful than the head. It is a pity that many of us allow our fame and projection in life to saturate our thought to the extent that we forget to acknowledge the privilege given to us by the head. We act as if there were no head and we forget that without the head, we can never exist.

A child who calls his father a foolish or poor man because he feels he is wiser and richer than his father can be related to the horn while his father remains the head. A student who thinks her instructors are not knowledgeable is like the horn while the instructors remain the head. A wife who feels her husband is lazy or useless because she is hardworking, rich and influential is like the horn while the husband remains the head. An employee who thinks he is better and more educated than his boss because his boss is unproductive and stupid is like the horn while the boss remains the head.

No matter how intelligent, rich, active, famous, tall or blessed you are in life, you are not expected to forget your head. If not for your head, you wouldn’t have existed. So, no matter how bad, poor, stupid and irrelevant your head may be to you, it still remains your foundation in life. Remember, it is only the head that has been given the mandate by nature to control the body, not the horns. So, no matter how high you are as a horn, you still remain under the control and influence of your head.

As from today, whenever you feel like growing horns, never forget the words of our ancestors that horns don’t grow before the head. The ancestors have spoken!

Don't start your day without a word from the ancestors...remember, a word is enough for the wise. Sign up with us for a daily feed. Follow @our_ancestors on twitter or email: wordsofourancestors@gmail.com. May your days be plenty!

THE VELLUM IS HERE!

‘You do not beat the side of a drum when its vellum is there’

Thank God it’s Friday! Did you take your time to read yesterday’s post? I am sure that our ancestors must have inspired a positive change in your life. Today is another wonderful day; so sit back, relax and prepare to learn something new from the ancestors.

Have you ever set your eyes on vellum? Wait; let me describe what it looks like. Vellum is the mammal skin that is usually used to make drums. Vellum is generally smooth and durable, although there are great variations depending on preparation, the quality of the skin and the type of animal used. Vellum can be regarded as the most sensitive and vital part of a drum because a drum without vellum may just be regarded as an ordinary wooden frame.

A drummer is not expected to beat the side of a drum when its vellum is there. The act of beating the side of a drum could be described as a futile effort of the drummer because the actual sound intended to be heard from any quality drum can never be determined by beating its side. The vellum is the only determinant of the audibility of any drum.

Also in life, you can never be heard or known by people if you only choose to beat the side of your drum. There are many people today who may never be famous, rich, influential, powerful or effective in life because of their decision to be comfortable with nothing or to remain ordinary.

There are a lot of masters, rulers, business owners, presidents, inventors, etc. who may never discover themselves till they die because they have chosen to beat the side of the drum of their purpose in life. The rulers and shakers of the world today are people like you but at a time in their life, they chose not to be comfortable with beating the side of the drum of their achievement in life. Hence, they started attracting people’s attention.

The reason why many marriages, businesses, institutions, professionals, ideas, societies, countries and individuals fail today is because their drummers have failed to beat the vellum of the drum. No man beats the vellum of a drum without attracting people’s attention. At times, the only thing you need to do in order to be successful in life is just to do the right thing. If you choose to do the right thing in whatever you do in life, you would earn yourself the ultimate reward of attracting the right people to your life.

As from today, always aim for the best things in life and prepare to do things in the right way. Remember, it is wrong to beat the side of a drum when its vellum is there. May you never beat the side of your drum in life. Please, go for the best!

Don't start your day without a word from the ancestors...remember, a word is enough for the wise. Sign up with us for a daily feed. Follow @our_ancestors on twitter or email: wordsofourancestors@gmail.com. May your days be plenty!

BE YOURSELF!

‘A crab cannot give birth to a bird’

Apart from the pictures above, do you know anything about crabs and birds? Today, the ancestors have chosen to speak to us by enlightening us about two uncommon animals in the animal kingdom. Let’s start with the crabs.

Our ancestors believe that crabs are mostly active animals with complex behavioral patterns. They communicate with one another by drumming or waving their pincers. Crabs tend to be aggressive towards one another and the male crabs often fight to gain access to the females. Crabs do not fly but they typically walk sideways (a behavior which gives us the word crabwise). This is because of the articulation of the legs which makes a sidelong gait more efficient. Some species of crabs could be skilled at swimming but they can’t fly.

Birds on the other hand are special kinds of animal. We may refer to birds as any kind of animal that can fly or animals with feathers. Today, an estimated 300 billion birds belonging to more than 9000 species inhabit virtually every terrestrial habitat on the planet. There are many species of birds that could be found at home, flying above the ground level and in the water as skilled swimmers and divers. Birds range in size from the massive Ostrich to the minute Bee Hummingbird.

From the description of crabs and birds given above, would you still conclude that a crab can give birth to a bird? Yes I believe in transformation, I also believe that impossibility is nothing, but the possibility of a crab reproducing a bird would be very unusual. It would be an emergence of a special kind of crab with feathers.

Naturally, life offers everyone that lives on earth the equal opportunity to choose to live as a crab or a bird. If you choose to live your life as a crab, it means you can only be allowed to walk or move only on the ground. As a crab, you can only communicate and relate with other animals that walk with you on the ground. No matter how hot or cold the ground is, a crab can never fly or do without being on the ground. So, if you choose to live your life as a crab, you will only end up being on the ground forever. It is however a natural responsibility for every crab to learn how to adapt to living peacefully on the ground.

If you are a crab, you are not expected to live your life as a bird. You do not even need to imagine yourself reproducing a bird; except if there is a supernatural transformation. A crab will always get into trouble whenever it attempts to fly because it is not mandated by nature to fly. A crab is not expected to compare itself to birds because if it could take some time to understand its environment, it would discover that whatever pleasure a bird could derive from flying could also be achieved by a crab while walking.

In whatever you do in life or wherever you find yourself, it is always good for you to discover yourself and stick to being yourself. The problem with many people who usually admire to be other persons in life is their failure to realize that they can be as good (or even better) than the people they imitate or those that they attempt to imitate. It is always good for you to discover yourself and keep being yourself; no matter what happens to you on your way to fulfillment in life. You don’t need to start discouraging yourself by predicting your future based on your present predicament. You need to start seeing yourself as a celebrity or role model that many people need to follow in order to be successful in life. Don’t settle for less, any other person apart from you is another person, you may even decide to call the person ‘somebody’ (i.e. some persons waiting to be verified and identified by you). You are the best thing that can happen to humanity, so keep being yourself.

Don't start your day without a word from the ancestors...remember, a word is enough for the wise. Sign up with us for a daily feed. Follow @our_ancestors on twitter or email: wordsofourancestors@gmail.com. May your days be plenty!

WALKING ON A FRESH TREE

‘Walk on a fresh tree, the dry one will break’

From the pictures above, it is very easy to differentiate between a fresh tree and a dry one. A fresh tree is evergreen, it brings forth its fruits in due season, it spreads its branches far and wide, it enriches itself every day,  it is that special tree that is usually planted on a fertile soil by the river side, its leaves never go dry and its roots are deeply buried in the soil.

A dry tree on the other hand is the direct opposite of a fresh tree. A dry tree is a dead tree, it is that kind of tree that has retired from the business of bringing forth fruits; even if it does, its fruits are usually bad, its branches are frail and fragile and its leaves are usually dry.

On a practical note, if you are to walk on any tree, it is better to walk on a fresh one. It will be easier for you to show your stunts and skills on a fresh tree since it is firmly rooted in the soil. However, a walk or show of stunts on a dry tree may be dangerous since its branches are frail and fragile.

In life, a fresh tree may symbolize dynamic ideas, progressive development, current research, multipurpose inventions, dependable solutions, motivations, inspirations or any established platform for greatness. Until you leave your dry tree, you may never step into the next level in life. A man who refuses to accept changes in life is like a man who keeps walking on a dry tree.

Nowadays, many people remain stagnant in their career, profession, business, institution, society, etc. because they refuse to embrace change and welcome new opportunities. There are many parents, students, instructors, entrepreneurs and political leaders who do not accept to use or learn how to use the modern technology because they believe that modern technologies attract violence, immorality and many evil things. Hence, they choose to remain stagnant with their old principles, policies, technology or ideas while the world moves on.

Imagine what would have become of you if you never learnt how to read and write, if you never learnt how to speak any language, if you never learnt how to use a mobile phone, if you never learnt how to use the internet, etc. Would you have died? Never! People don’t usually die of lack of knowledge but they only remain stagnant and irrelevant in life. Remember that there are many people who never bothered to learn all what you know today and some of them may not have the opportunities that you have, but they are still alive.

What makes you progressive in life can never be determined by who you are, what you have or where you are; it is a matter of what you know. Before you can confidently walk on fresh trees, it is essential that you dedicate your life constantly to learning new things. The more you learn, the more you know and the greater you become. The day you stop learning is the day you start dying. Remember, if you don’t start walking on the fresh trees of your life, the dry ones may never break. May your tree never go dry!

Don't start your day without a word from the ancestors...remember, a word is enough for the wise. Sign up with us for a daily feed. Follow @our_ancestors on twitter or email: wordsofourancestors@gmail.com. May your days be plenty!

DO YOU KNOW TOMORROW?

‘Tomorrow makes known to us what tomorrow will bring’

Yes I agree with you that tomorrow is tomorrow. By the time you read this post tomorrow, it should have become yesterday’s post. Tomorrow should be Wednesday (October 24, 2012) and what else can you say about tomorrow?

Change is the only constant thing in life. What if there is no tomorrow? What if the ancestors refuse to speak to us tomorrow? What if the ancestors choose to speak but you are unable to read the post? What if someone just wakes up tomorrow to announce that the days of the week and months of the year will no longer be represented in words but some universally accepted codes? Imagine what would happen to Wednesdays or Octobers. Anytime, anything can happen.

Let’s not get it twisted, truly, nobody knows tomorrow. Tomorrow makes known to us what tomorrow will bring. Whatever you are meant to do today should not be sluggishly transferred to tomorrow. Since you can’t tell what will happen tomorrow, it is always advisable that you do your best today and act as if there is no tomorrow.

Don’t save the money that should be used to save a life or assist someone who is desperately in need of your help because you are afraid of tomorrow. What if tomorrow never comes? What if the life at stake is a visa for your sure entry into the promised land of tomorrow?  Don’t misuse the opportunity you have today because you feel there are better opportunities ahead in the future. What if today’s opportunity is a test for you to step into greater tomorrow? Don’t say negative words against your creator because you feel that what happens to you today may tarnish your image tomorrow. What if the pains, agony and trial you face today has been designed by nature to make you a problem solver or powerful person tomorrow? Don’t conclude that there can never be peace in your home, happiness in your life, unity in your society or honesty among your leaders because of the things that happen today. Remember, anytime, anything can happen. Change rarely announces when it comes, it may come whenever; it may even be tonight or tomorrow.

Never lose hope, don’t give up, today is not the best time to say your last prayers. As long as you are alive, there is always tomorrow. And it is only tomorrow that makes known to us what it will bring along. If you are tired and sad today, don’t let it get into your head, wait for tomorrow.
May you never be disappointed tomorrow!

Don't start your day without a word from the ancestors...remember, a word is enough for the wise. Sign up with us for a daily feed. Follow @our_ancestors on twitter or email: wordsofourancestors@gmail.com. May your days be plenty!

WHEN YOU ARE BEING CARRIED

‘He who is being carried does not realize how far the town is’

Have you ever been carried by people, someone or something in life? How does it feel being in the carriage? Yes, I know it is good, funky and enjoyable but at times you may get carried away and fail to realize and acknowledge what makes your journey in the carriage enjoyable.

A journey of hundred miles is nothing to someone who is being carried by an airplane when compared with the person who chooses to be carried by a lorry, bus, car, motorbike or canoe. At times, you may not know how far the journey is until you choose to trek to some places. So, whenever you are carried, don’t get carried away and forget that there are several other options which may not be as easy as the one that works for you.

In life, whenever you feel very comfortable, whenever you find yourself on top of others, whenever you can afford to acquire the good things that many people can’t get easily, whenever you do something that many other people cannot do easily, whenever your name and fame are on the lips of people everywhere you go, whenever most of your dreams in life get fulfilled, you are like the man who is being carried.

The fame, glory, comfort, luxury, wisdom, strength, influence or power that you possess today is not as a result of your intelligence, smartness or bravery; don’t be deceived, you are only being carried by nature. Have you ever considered how painful it is to be the one carrying other people? Do you really take your time to imagine how demoralizing it is to be unknown, uncomfortable, foolish, weak, irrelevant or powerless?

Life is not easy when you view it from outside the carriage. In whatever you do, always remember that life is not a basket of rose, whatever goes around comes around. Today, you may be in the carriage; you do not know where you would be tomorrow. The way you treat the people who are used by nature to carry you today determines how nature itself will treat you tomorrow. Until you view life from the other side, you may not know how to appreciate your creator.

In whatever you do today, always take time to appreciate your creator and share the pains of the people that nature has assigned to carry you. Say a big THANK YOU to your close friends, your parents, your spouse, your followers, your teachers, your neighbors, your house maids, your employees, your boss, your leaders, your drivers, your janitors and of course, our ancestors. May you never fall, fail or fumble in life!

Don't start your day without a word from the ancestors...remember, a word is enough for the wise. Sign up with us for a daily feed. Follow @our_ancestors on twitter or email: wordsofourancestors@gmail.com. May your days be plenty!

HOW DO YOU TALK?

‘He who talks incessantly talks nonsense’

The act of talking is one of the beautiful gifts of nature. Talk is cheap; you are free to say anything you feel like saying whenever you want to say it, wherever and however you want it. Your words can either make you or destroy you. Your words represent you; your words introduce your identity to the world. What you say about yourself and other people determines your personality and totality in life.

Nature has a limit for everything we choose to do in life. When you go beyond the natural limit, whatever you do becomes abnormal. When you drink alcohol beyond the natural limit, you become a drunk, when you take a drug in excess, it becomes an overdose, when you think too much, it may lead to madness, when you eat too much, people would call you a glutton and it may lead to obesity. Also, when you talk incessantly, your words will become verbose and meaningless.

At times, the messages that we pass in silence are louder than the ones that people hear from us when we speak out. We need to watch the way we speak and monitor what we speak to people. Most people that are talkative in nature are not usually good with keeping secrets. They talk about everything they know, some of them even go as far as saying things that they don’t know because they want to beautify their speech.

Our ancestors believe that people who talk about everything, whatever, wherever, whenever and however, do not usually make a noticeable progress in life. Many of them are not honest with what they say; hence they are deprived of the trust, dignity and honor that should be accorded to them by people. Being talkative may attract many friends to you but it can never sustain the friendship. It takes more than talks to build friendship.

If you choose to live by talking, then you need to place value on what comes out of your mouth. Most people who talk nonsense do not actually know that people don’t understand what they say, they just keep on talking. We learn a lot when we listen to our mind than when we speak our mind. At times, it is better and wiser to listen and learn from people instead of being the only one that talks about almost everything all the time.

Please, think twice before you talk today. May your words never put you into trouble.

Don't start your day without a word from the ancestors...remember, a word is enough for the wise. Sign up with us for a daily feed. Follow @our_ancestors on twitter or email: wordsofourancestors@gmail.com. May your days be plenty!