Unpopular side with Yinka Ijabiyi
Twitter: @Yinkakan Instagram: @oneyinka
As you grow up, these words of mine
May serve as guide
Or as guard
Or even as a ramp
Or a stumbling wall
Whatever it may be
Read it and enjoy it
Few fathers know their duties
Appreciate the words of your father
Or of one older in your way
Live your life to the full
Have little worries and no cares
A full life
Is made up of ingredients
Such as these
Live well
Have a heart
Be considerate
Masters and slaves
One and all
Have one blood
Coursing through their veins
Break a heart
Hold nothing back
Love quickly and fully
Like daybreak will snatch
The love
You left incomplete
Before day broke
Bless all that come your way
A laugh
A smile
A gift
A hand
A kiss
A look
Whatever way
However way
Help someone
Love someone
Heal someone
Cheer someone
Save someone
Lift someone
Fill someone
Happiness is fleeting
It disappears faster
If you keep it to you
Yet it might last longer
If you accept and digest it
If you store it properly
In the near corner of your heart
To exhume readily
When life throws you crosses
And nails
And tears
And fears
And tragedies
And sadnesses
Yet happiness is fleeting
But lasts much longer when you share
With friends who give you
Reasons to smile
Who make the smiles genuine
And real
Who make the gloom
Disperse and run
Like darkness at the sign of light
Seek fulfillment
Seek satisfaction
Seek joy
Seek peace
Seek the best in all men
And women
Of all wills
Good or bad
See life
See love
See triumph
See victories
See glory
See the positive
Of every negative
Travel wide and far
See as much of your world
As you dare
Or can
Make money as if
It were unimportant
Spend it with just as much abandon
Let nothing and no one
Come between you and your best
Make your best your goal
Dream of the impossible
And see it be possible
Dream stupid
And see amazing reality
Live your convictions
Leave your distractions
You have 100 years
Or a lot less
Make it count
Follow Jesus
He had only 33
Today we are yet to forget
Enjoy the air
Enjoy the AC
Enjoy the outdoors
Enjoy indoors
Enjoy nature
Enjoy artificial
Enjoy the love of a woman
Enjoy the love of your dog
Above all
Welcome to this life
It is a beautiful stop
On your way back
To your journey’s beginning
You will see
That all things on earth
Yearn for a better place
A journey back home
But not one would readily change
Mortality for immortality
Live well and you will die well
Embrace life and you will embrace death
Many more are the words I desire to share
But even if I had five lifetimes
I couldn’t succeed in sharing all the words with you
The lessons you will learn are manifold
Some you will learn from me
Some from your mother
Most from other boys your age and older
The vast majority from girls of all ages
Especially your wife
You will learn few for yourself
For those you should learn in peace
Many people will be happy
To ram down your throat
Listen to all
Do what seems reasonable and sensible to you
Life is a journey
You begin the end as soon as you begin the beginning
Welcome. And goodbye.
