THE CHESS GAME

We worshiped in the same assembly. Their dad was the presiding minister when he was alive. I wasn’t so close to the family but I knew they were cool. Having lost their dad to some assassinators, the family had become bereaved of the very comfort that the whole church had shared. It was a very sad event and still lives in our hearts.

Sometime later I learnt that the house they moved to was suddenly gutted by fire and I was mad when I heard that nothing was rescued from the flames. I imagined how a whole house would get burnt at night with the occupants inside (though no life was lost) and no one could make away with even an item. For me it was fear interwoven in confusion that would result to such loss. I felt if I had been there I would have done better and I kept that thought until late one night.

I had gone to bed late as usual. I had a room in my father’s house. It was personal and I had successfully converted it to a workshop, invention lab and testing studio. It was my little haven, rigged with alarms and indicators, littered with wires and electronic parts, dismembered gadgets and yet to be completed constructions. My mattress was not in the least comfortable and sweeping the room would cause me to lose vital screws and parts that would come in handy now and then. That was my abode.

I had finished my days work and had barely gone to sleep when I perceived a presence in my room. I sleep like a log and I seriously have no apologies for that. I barely sleep but when I do, I do it well and sound. It would take a very decisive effort to rouse me from my usual sleep but this time around I woke without a hand to tap or shove me. I struggled to part my eyelids and as I barely did I could make out the atmosphere in the room. It was not the usual one that cascaded my workshop cum room. It was strange.

I sprang to my feet instantly. I could see smoke all over the place, my light bulb was shrouded in thick billows of smoke. My ceiling fan regulator was puffing smoke in gasps and I immediately knew that this was no time to be drowsy. I could have thought it to be a dream but I hardly dream unless I sleep awkwardly and even if I were to dream, I most times do the interesting ones. This was no dream.

I didn’t have the time to do a mental calculation as my brain did a speed-boot and without the need to be safe, I engaged the next heroic action and ran towards the burning regulator then I realized I was running straight into danger, just then logic kicked in. I turned round and dashed out of the room.

I didn’t intend to run out of the house or wake the others, I was intent on solving this and I remembered my dad kept a fire extinguisher I had often wondered what he intended to do with it. I grabbed the heavy cylinder and ran back to the room. I pulled the pin lock and aiming the nozzle at the charred regulator, I fully depressed the lid and the noise that came out was worse than the present incidence. I never knew the extinguisher had so much pressure in it, the force of the content, even if it were just air, would have put of the fire and sure it did, instantly.

That was when I came back to my senses. The fire was out, the smoke still floated in layers below the ceiling and my heart was still skipping beats. I imagined what would have happened if I didn’t wake when I did. I imagined if it had gone beyond the fan regulator and engaged so other combustible items. Just then I remembered what I had thought concerning the family that lost all to a night fire, I didn’t need another prodding, I repented of my thoughts on the spot. I could now tell how it would have been for them. For the whole house to be on fire, the roof made of wood and the fire happily consuming the fuel. It was not something I wanted to experience and I know that if I were there, it would take God for me to think of anything asides human safety and possibly me first.

It dawned on me that when one is not in a situation, he would always feel he would do better than the person presently in the situation. It does not matter what field of endeavour that is, leadership, schooling, ministry, business, sports, name it. The saying that Chess is easier played outside the board held true for me and still does. I learnt after that incidence to appreciate what people go through without going through it. It is practically impossible to feel what they feel because we are all wired differently but I have come to learn that I shouldn’t mock anyone’s tears no matter how little the matter that caused the tears.

I put myself together and in the few weeks I got together an item and a music cassette that sang of solace and comfort and packaging these as a token I gave a member of the family condoling them of what had befallen them. They had lost all their furniture, clothes, food and house. I didn’t fully understand what they were going through but I definitely knew that I didn’t want to be in their shoes to understand a little part.

Years have gone and many things have happened. Now and again, I feel the strong urge to judge someone that has failed in a task or had belittled an opportunity and I actually do judge sometimes but I know full well that situations are handled differently by people and the fact that someone failed doesn’t give me the right to believe I could have done better. The fact that someone failed also doesn’t make me believe I couldn’t do better. Thought what I portray now seems to be the tautology but I am simply saying that my neighbours condition or situation has no direct effect on how I might be willing to react to the same situation if I found myself in it. I just live my life as I have enough to face it.

I have learnt to cut slacks for people and I have learnt also not to gamble with excuses either. Whatever happens I view it in the light of the end and not necessarily the means but I can tell you I am wiser now, not that I am free of mistakes, not at all but I do my affordable best to be my best.

Life would throw challenges at us and when we see others that misuse opportunities or seem to do less when more is expected, the wisest thing to do is to learn from the situation if there is anything to learn and to groom oneself in readiness for whatever comes along because everyman is daily faced with evil and good and only the amount of knowledge, experience, wisdom and grace that is available to one really determines what one makes out of the situation.

If I don’t do what you expect, do not be in a hurry to blame me or judge me. If I do more than you think is necessary, do not condemn me or criticize my effort. We all have silent challenges and hidden aspirations, we all have driving forces and unwritten goals and desires, you never can tell what is in play but one thing I am sure is that in this life no two people can handle the same situation the same way.

When it is time to play chess, step into the board…that’s where it is real and that is when it will be safe to do your move because outside the board is perfect, truly faultless and ideal. Let’s go play life’s chess…