The Turn Around

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(Edited)

The Turn Around

Photo by Muhammad-Taha Ibrahim

A few years ago, after I graduated from college I discovered that my life was almost messed up, I was already into different things, I was into women and street life.

I made many attempts to cut away from them to no avail, it was as if I was caged, so I decided to quit trying and continue with my lifestyle.

"Emreal, you have changed, you no longer take the things of God or your life seriously," was what my mom kept telling me each time I got to spend time with her.

The truth is she was not lying, she trained me up to be a god-fearing and decent kid, seeing these things manifesting in my life all of a sudden was shocking.

I barely went to church service or attended any church-related program as she trained and groomed me and that was not all, I was bringing ladies and terrible friends to the house.

One evening, while I and my friends were busy talking dirty, and laughing aloud in my room. I excused myself to go and get my clothes from the line in the compound.

When I reached the compound, I saw my mother sitting on a bench with her hands on her cheek.

"Good evening Mom," I greeted her as I walked towards the line to pick my clothes.

"Emreal, who are those guys in your room?" She asked, neglecting my greetings with her face tight and her voice sounding deep.

"They are my friends from college, Mom," I replied as I continued picking the clothes.

"Come here," she demanded.

I sluggishly walked to where she was seated and sat down holding the clothes I already picked.

"Are these what you keep as friends now? I have been listening to your conversation right from inception, there was nothing good about it and to my surprise, you are being so loud and laughing over it. Is that the kind of life you want to live now?" She asked.

Hmm, I sighed deeply putting my face down. Shame gripped me, I couldn't say a word. "Am sorry ma," I replied.

"You are no longer a child, I'll be honest with you if you continue to keep this class of people around your life, you will go nowhere in life," she added and walked inside leaving me seated on the bench.

I felt so bad, the entire thing got through me. When I got back into the room, I told them "Guys, I will be going out, my mom sent me on an errand, maybe later we will see."

"No wahala, (no problem) just let us know when you are back," one of them replied to me and they walked out.

I sat down alone in the room and thought about my life and what my mom just said, and I decided that I was going to start being deliberate about my life again.

There used to be a fellowship in my church for young people, it's been long since I attended. One fateful Monday, I decided to go.

It was such a powerful service with so many young people in attendance, at the end of the day, many responded to the alter call the preacher made. I was just there looking at everything strange and hoping to hear the phrase "Let's share the grace."

After taking like forever, the moment arrived and we closed. While I was about to leave the church, a masculine voice called me, "Emreal."

I was surprised, I didn't expect anyone to know me there, it's been so long. When I turned to check who it was, behold, it was one of my teachers from secondary school, Mr. Abimiku.

I quickly walked towards him with a big smile on my face, "Good evening sir," I greeted.

"Evening, how are you doing? You have grown so big already," he responded as he extended his hands to me.

I laughed profusely, "I am fine sir, how about you?"

"Oh, I am fine. Where are you now?

"I just finished my Nigeria Certificate In Education (NCE) program. Hoping to go further soon," I replied.

"That's beautiful, can I have your contact?" He asked.

"Sure," I replied as I gave him my number, he instantly flashed my line and I saved his.

From that day, he started calling me often to know how I was doing and he would persuade me to come for fellowship in the church and sometimes invite me to his house and give me books to take home and study.

At first, it was frustrating and annoying but I just kept playing along.

After a while, I discovered that his lifestyle is the kind of life I wanted to live but I have been struggling all along.

So, I began going closer to him and he was so happy with it and kept teaching me how he attained to the height he is that I admired. I kept doing the things that he suggested and gradually, I began to grow.

Within a very short period, let's say a month or two. My life was transformed. I couldn't even stay around the kind of friends I used to keep, I stopped almost everything I was struggling to stop. My encounter with Mr Abimiku turned over a new leaf in my life.

My mother was so surprised at the turnaround. To date, she never ceases to appreciate Mr Abimiku for the change he brought into my life.

Thanks For Reading



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21 comments
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Glad you got the transformation. Our parents will always remain a great model and a diamond we can never buy. God bless our parents. I am glad your teacher alls contributed to the transformation.

You are a nice guy Emreal! I just contributed too. 😝

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You are right our parents will always remain good models, I truly appreciate my mom for her effort over my life and also that of my teacher we came along the line.

Hahhaha, you are very funny boss. Well, you really did because that line made my head swell🤣

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We all need positive influences in our life to guide our behaviour and growth. I am glad that you had Mr Abimiku. Reading this story, I had to stop and wonder what it was about his lifestyle that you grew to love; what finally made the deeper life-changing connection for you? And what books did you read from his library that had such an impact on you? I think if you had answered these questions, you would have added a richness to your story that would have left a more meaningful impression on your readers. Something to consider for future submissions.

Thank you for sharing a story from your life with The Ink Well.

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Wow, it made more sense that way, thanks so much for the light, I'll work on it.

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(Edited)

Very glad you course corrected early on - I bet your mother is proud of you, and justifiably so. May each of us have a chance to have a Mr. Abimiku in our lives.

Cheers from a fellow #dreemerforlife

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That is the prayer, and I say amen to it. There are good people out there who can transform our lives but coming in contact with them sometimes is the problem

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Sometimes we just need a few people to get that change that we crave for.

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You see this saying "show me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are" isn't just mere word, it's a factual truth.
Good you took that decision to change for the better and with the help of your old teacher, you succeeded.

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You are right ma, friend play a very vital role in our lives, funny how life will give both the good and the bad ones for you to choose from and a careless choice and ruin your live forever....

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Thanks to your mom for not being ignorant about your friends. I have seen many people who were dragged down to doom by the friends they kept.
Thank God you were able to turn a new leaf.

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Friends are very important in the making of people. Honestly my mom did well by kicking against the type of friends I kept.

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(Edited)

In most cases, it takes one person to redirect someone on the wrong path to the right path. You were lucky to have met Mr Abimiku played that role perfectly. A teacher will always be a teacher.

#dreemerforlife

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Hahaha, you are right, it takes a person to get everything done on earth, was lucky like you said. Don't know where I would have been if I hadn't meet that man

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The vulnerability in your post though >>>> I am glad you were able to turn a new leaf, you are actually a good child. God bless Mr Abimiku for letting God use him for your transformation. I am genuinely happy for you✨️

#dreemerforlife

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Smiles, wasn't really a good one but God helped me🤣🤣 thanks for stopping by ma

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