The moment I gave my academic report card to my mother, the next thing was for her to ask 'why I wasn't soaring like my friend'. God knows, I used to get pissed off at the comparison. But was she really comparing me to my genius friend? Was she or did she not know any better.
A couple of days back, the whole town wafted with news of a kid who staked 100NGN to win 37 million. He did actually win. The only twist, betting shop will experience a surge, everyone hoping to be like that kid. Even me, who growing up didn't like being compared, I do it now, the only problem, I do it to myself - and I'm loving it.
Were our mothers actually comparing us? Well not at all. In essence though cause they lacked the proper words for what they did, so now, it's labeled as comparison.
To compare, two things have to be similar/alike/equal and no two humans have been able to achieve the feat. Identical twin still don't end up as exact copies. So the question lingers, what exactly was going on then.
You see, a similar plot exist somewhere, commonly between teachers and students. Teachers in this context would be parents, mentors, clerics, or whomever who occupies the place where instructions or guidance proceeds from. Students on the other hand would be whoever is at the receiving end of such instructions or guidance.
Have you heard teachers rebuke certain things solely because they failed at it or praise one thing because they excelled at it and are reaping amazing dividends. They shut out the room for individuals to actually be who they can/supposed to be.
Individualism. We rebel as kids cause our parents wants us to be like something else. Someone now currently wants us to a copy of something else. A dicey position to be in.
This would bring us to the talk about 'the rule' and 'the exception'.
Making the rule the exception or the exception the rule' is a touchy thing, but stay with me.
What our mothers were doing back then was showing us, our friend who was the exception, who kept on excelling and wished we, the rule, could attain that height. What teachers do now is take the exception as a template for the rule.
You see, the problem is always with the exception. That happy couple that everyone looks up to, that well-behaved kid in the neighbourhood, the desolate divorcee, the scary/hunted house. There's always an exception, something that just stands out from the (supposed/assumed) normal.
The exception shows us what is possible. We either work towards or away from it. The pick is entirely us.
That gold runner whom you look up to, you keep on working hard but never attain it, at least you will not be guilty of not trying.
The first class everyone keeps on getting that you aimed and worked for and didn't come, at least you will not be guilty if not trying.
All your investment, aiming to be Warren that might never happen, at least, again, you will not be guilty of not trying.
The sin is to stop trying.
The exception shows us the possibility only if we are daring enough to walk the path (or not if it's something that doesn't aling or pushes us further).
The exception.
The exception.
Cause the question going through my mind is why are you not the exception? The one setting the pace.
I leave you with this. I learned early on, that if they say "the course is very hard", ask them "have others passed it".
