THE BEST OF US

“It happens to the very best of us”, a statement common when trying to console someone or justify a despicable action. “If a whole Mr A couldn’t avoid it, what makes you so special”, ever heard of such a statement? Some even go further to narrate different instances, citing examples, using facts and history to justify their point.

For instance, in a bid to justify the fleshly weakness to craving sex, you hear people say “it happens to the very best of us, look at a whole king David, a man after God’s own heart that fell to adultery with Bathsheba or even Samson the strongest man in bible days, a whole judge of Israel anointed from the womb that fell with a prostitute; Delilah, or even the wisest man that ever lived; Solomon that was recorded to have had 700 wives and 300 concubines”. So they say “don’t be too hard on yourself, it happens to the best of us. If the very best fell victim then what makes you so special and think you can avoid it?”. I can be too sure you will be super consoled in whatever it is after hearing “The best of us” sermon. But when did you start becoming “Everybody”, when did few people start deciding what becomes of you? One thing i have personally hated is being categorized with the majority like they say “Calabar girls are flirt”, Ibo boys are swindlers” or “last born child are spoilt”. But i choose to say No, I choose to be different: it doesn’t have to be.

That something happened to everybody does not mean it should happen to me. I am not everybody and so i refuse to hide under the syndrome of the “everybody or best or us“. 

Have you notice that every statistics of the “majorities“ is mostly negative, e.g. At least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day. Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names. (Source: Poverty Facts and Stats by Anup Shah). It doesn’t have to always be like that. Ask. yourself, why can’t I be part of the minority, why can’t I be part of the rest 20% prosperous humanities or the 5 billion literate folks, at least your fate or place wasn’t decided when you were born.

I used to console my self with the whole “the best of us thing” but it only increased my ranking on the failure chart, I became satisfied with my imperfect state, just because I wasn’t the only one failing. You know it’s just like when you get an examination script in which you failed, you initially feel bad at you poor performance till you hear that 70% of the class also failed and even the best student in class was just 9marks above you, then you feel excited with no single sense of remorse at your failure, why? It happened to “the best of us”. But my challenge to you is this; why can’t you be the only person or one of the few that passed the course.

Be your own standard (measure) for success, compete against your best previous record, not anyone. You are as good as anybody. You have as much potential at being the best or even better than the best at whatever you do as the best in that field. I don’t see anything bad at being that person everyone is referring to as the best.
And in a situation whereby you fail, even if it’s an 100% failure occurrence don’t be satisfied with it but evaluate yourself and aim higher and better, prepare harder and most importantly TRY AGAIN. You are never a failure until you quit.