Aside the Bible, it was one book with pages that came alive each moment I engaged it, pages and stories that touched and inspires the heart, that sharpen one character, awaken hidden possibilities, keep ones dream, awakens one hope in the future, makes one a good manager of time and resources, places one on and above the path of greatness and great influence, purify one’s taste, takes one from low to higher places and elevate one’s character. In my judgement, it was one book rich in the lessons every young mind need to be lifted above ambience into decency, admiration, graciousness and responsibility, and for graceful transition into adulthood with conscious and unconscious sucking up of knowledge.
It is agreeable that man is a product of nature and nurture. “Pushing the front” by Sweet Mardsen came into my life during my early university days through a friend that made an investment by buying a collection of business and great e-books. My first attraction was chapter V, titled Round boys in square holes. I was at this point a student of Plant Biology in one of the top universities in Nigeria, even though my dream was to be a Medical practitioner. It painted out clearly the picture of what I should expect to play out if I stayed neither put where I had no gifting nor calling, what I choose to call dis-functional placement, as well as the beauty, prosperity and fulfilment in pursuing and following my dreams. I understood from the pages of Chapter V the realities before me in choosing a rightful career and the personal responsibilities to pursue my dreams and be the best I could be.
Low self-esteem is when someone lacks confidence about who they are and what they can do. .
Gbemisola
I also call to mind, my appointment as a Leader in my final year in the universities. My followers’ had the perception that I was fitted to be but an assistant to a friend in the same role. Reading through the pages of Pushing the front especially chapter II: Boys with no chance, gave me the understanding I needed and made me realise I had to either find a way or make one, in making my leadership potentials come alive. I applied myself to the lessons in the pages of pushing the front and others similar lessons, and through my stay it was an impactful ride with huge surprises of delivery and guess what; I was celebrated big time at my point of exit.
It was one book I read with tears as well as smile as the pages spoke to my heart, it inspired and stimulated me as a young la to be somebody and to do something meaningful with my life. It riches in examples such as that of vice president Henry Wilson among others. Proverbs another catch phrase such as I will make a way or find one.
Pushing the Front, among the many impact, inspired to go into writing and public speaking. This was as a result of the understanding and the passion it bundle in my heart that life is about making impact and been a blessing to others. This journey has lead me into teen’s public speaking project as well as other innovations that keeps coming as a result of the impact it made on me. I have been able to put together four life hanging books for young minds, which might be distributed for free. My teen’s project such as Project Bless a Teen, Project Bless a Student among others sprout up from the seeds of self-discovery and realisation that was sown into my life by “Pushing the Front” as well as other means. It pages forms part of my presentation to school and some of it stories comes alive in my presentation during my projects.
With pushing the front, I had the benefit and the opportunity of meeting great minds across continent, I had the privileges of visiting old sites and places of history, I had the chance to be an animated character travelling through times to know the feat of different men at different times. All this and many more I did without paying my way through and at my own convenience, even in the bath tub if I so wishes. I got to experience the optimism of Napoleon at the dreaded pass at St. Bernard, the courage of Ida a twelve years old lad that rescued his dad and three other men when their boat capsid near lime Rock Lighthouse against all odds, the power of possibility in spare moment when Antonio Canova the grandson of Pisano moulded a crouching lion with butter to the admiration of everyone at the banquet as told by George Carry Eggleston, that of Mr Charles N. Critteridon, Vittoria Colona, President Harrison in 1840, Gladstone, Vice President Henry Wilson, President Abraham Lincoln among many others.
Some books leave us the same, few others stay longer in our heart and we sometimes can’t wait to be a blessing to others with the treasures they have deposited in our heart. Swett Mardsen remains a name that made me push the front with the lessons, interaction and the beauty it brought.
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