This is going to be used to write stories that I write and also stories written by others feel like sharing with NL family




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MODIFIED TITLE: I changed it to The Journal because I'll be doing more than writing stories here

DON'T LET HER DIE

All I could imagine was her safety, She needs to be alive, She is worth every air I breathe.

"Ibrahim! Don't let her die" That was Mum final words before She embark on a journey of no return.

"I will do my best!" I could remember whispering into mum ears even though she couldn't hear me.

"I will push myself to the wall, just to make sure she see the dawn of a bright beautiful day" I told myself while carrying her in my hands.

Not even the world crisis will stop me from protecting my own, for He has given power to trample upon serpent and scorpion.

Fighting for her safety is nonnegotiable for me. She's in my hands and she is mine to protect.
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She's my future and I won't let her die.

Dear Friends,

That future you clamour for is right there in your hands, Protect it with all your being.

Surely, there will be a point where it seems like: Hope have gone on extinction, Vision have gone on vacation, Zeal have gone on oblivion But still
Don't let Her Die.

Your Future can only survive on the amount of oxygen you supply to it, So how often do you do that?

Build that future you dream of today.

Now tell yourself boldly "I won't let her Die"

Lets work hard to see that future we always dream of

UNFORGETTABLE

I did not brush before going to morning mass that day. I didn't want to skip the Benediction so I ran as fast as I could and prayed that God causes Father John to sleep a little while longer. I smiled after making the sign of the cross. I felt guilty immediately, that was selfish.

I was happy they hadn't started. After Mass, I stayed to pray the Rosary. When done, I was leaving when I heard a call from behind, I turned to see the Deacon.

"Good morning, Reverend"
"Good morning". He grinned.

" How are you?". "I'm fine, thank you". I said, showing all teeth.

" wow, I love your gap tooth". still grinning.

Is a deacon supposed to love somebody's gap-tooth? A gentle voice asked in my head. I smiled without revealing my teeth this time and thanked him.

"Don't hide it please". He gently said, his voice creamy.

I smiled. My teeth were on display again. Why are you laughing like a girl who's fallen in love?. My heart was light and the happiness flew out.

"Hope there's no problem?". I asked trying to stifle my laughter.
" None at all". He announced.

"I'll be on my way then". I was laughing my way out.
" Wait!"

I turned.

"Why were you giggling throughout the Mass?"

I chuckled.

"Is it that you don't like my face, voice, I didn't preach well or you just found me strange?" He spoke mildly almost sarcastically.

I straightened up. "It's none of those things you've mentioned".

" Pray, tell me, then". He said, Shakespearean style.

My ribs hurt from so much laughter in a span of a few minutes. I just felt connected to this deacon with honey gold eyes filled with warmth, his sea of warmth made me feel safe, happy and content.

Then I remembered I had not brushed. Alarms rang in my mind, cautiously I moved a bit away from him.

Oh God, you must be murdering the deacon with bad breath. The soft voice in my head said. Worse, you ate fish last night. Recalled the voice which appeared as a tiny man folding its arms.

"Truth or lie?" I asked.

He was surprised. At least his expression said so. He put his finger to his lips

"Hmmm, I'm sure you won't lie outside of the church, would you?"

"I won't.". I sighed and inhaled. " Your eyes are beautiful. They have this warmth that's full of depth. I was just amused by the fact that your child won't get any of these". I opened my eyes.

His face was between laughter and embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, just that when I saw your eyes, they reminded me of another priest I had read about".

He was about talking when I continued.

" Don't worry, this priest was a fictional character in a book, and you fit all the descriptions. I'm sorry".

"It's ok. That's pretty much fun I suppose. What's your name?"

"My name is Katherine. With a K".

" Nice to meet you, Katherine, with a K". He shook my hand.

I checked my watch.

"I'll have to go now. It's been nice talking to you".

" Did I bore you so much?"

"No-no-no. You can see I've been laughing all this while. I just have a class to attend".
" Oh! You don't seem like a High School student".

"I'm not. I go to the State University here"
"That's nice. What course?"

"English Literature".

" I see where impeccable English came from".

"I have a test so I have to go". Why did she mention the test? How foolish an angry voice babbled on in her head.

" Wow! You should have told me earlier so I'd let you go revise, I'm sorry ".

I felt the apology, it stung me.

" No matter. There's a bit of time to catch up" I said smiling, forgetting whether my teeth were rotten or my mouth stank like a gutter.

We said our byes and I went home bubbly.

I wrote my test in high spirits and not even the bleak invigilator who kept asking we to stop smiling shattered it.

My seat in the hall was changed four times before I could finish but I wasn't grumpy like my old self. I recollected that I had wanted to tell the deacon that I had imagined being his mother and had said no vehemently when he asked permission to go to the seminary.

Years on, I would think of this moment, every morning and evening before drifting off to sleep. A wide smile would creep on my face. The joy and peacefulness of it would surge through my entire body and I would sigh for I never saw the deacon after that day.

I asked the catechist but he provided no useful information. As for our parish priest, I always met his absence and grew tired of waiting.

Maybe it was meant to happen that way.

Agatha Atagher
#WrittenForYou

Kudos to you

We were recently discussing when school activities will fully resume and the possibility of laying off some staff.

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One of my colleagues then pointed my attention to two of our staff in the school, rehearsed how things have been quite tough without them earning since the lockdown commenced.
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One happens to be a married man with children while the other is unmarried, and both are very good at teaching. But unfortunately, the lockdown has denied them access to the classroom.

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It hurt to hear that anyway, however, my focus is not really about them, but to call your attention in case your job falls under those employments or businesses still weathering the storm of lockdown.

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What's your plan B, should in case you're not called back to work after the lockdown is totally over?

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Do you have a formidable option in case this restriction is extended beyond expectations?

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Or, you're just sitting there and whimpering for your situation. Instead of you to move into action, strategize, and create a plan B, C, or D if possible.

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Don't wait until things fall apart and the center can't hold it anymore before you plan.

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Be like the wise virgins and get extra oil for your journey, to avoid story that touches.
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It's absolutely alright to put all your eggs in one basket as long as you can control the basket.
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But if you can't, then diversify your earnings. Because salary alone won't solve all your money problems.
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Build multiple streams of income. Think of investment.

Develop and leverage on your skill.

Partner with legitimate business which gives good returns while going about your pay job.

Remember: it wasn't raining when Noah started building the ark.
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So act and act fast!

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#GetYourPlanB
#MultiplyYourEarnings
#BeIntentionalForSuccess
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©MOC

HAVE A POSITIVE MINDSET

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Life is full of ups and downs

Cumbered with possibilities and impossibilities

Overwhelmed with positivity and negativity

Life may seems fair to one and unfair to another

Regardless of what life brings to you

Have a positive mindset

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Everything in life starts with your mindset

If you don’t like something, change it, if you can’t change it, change your mindset

Once your mindset changes, everything on the outside will change along with it

If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change

Think positive, be positive and positive things will happen

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Even when you are faced with negativity

And impossibility stares you at the face

Remember your why and patiently stay on your line

Do not let people’s perception and recommendation about life make you lose focus

They may act as a quick guide but do not let them make you a version of themselves but, rather be a better version of yourself

Think positive, see positive and speak positive

Remember, what you think is what you say, what you say is what you see and what you see is what you be

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Focus on your focus.

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Have a fruitful weekend

©️Temitope Adetunji

#MotivationalSpeaker

#Researcher

#Writer

#Weeklyreflection

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX

Your boss pays you N30,000 per month.
Now let's assume that you decided to save all without touching a dime, it
would take you 36 months to make N1million.

(Did I hear you say 3years?)

Absolutely!

On the other hand, if you can convince an organisation like Dangote Group
to print and supply 5000 umbrellas to them (to be used as souvenirs) and
you make just N200 profit per umbrella, in just one day you must have made
N1million.

What about becoming a billionaire, that is where it gets crazy!

Now let's increase your pay to N1,000,000 per month and you decide to save
all without touching a dime. In a year, you must have saved N12million. It
would take about 84years before you can make N1billion. (Please subtract
your current age).

On the other hand, Nigeria has a population of about 200 million people, If
you can supply salt to just 12million people once in a month and you make
just N200 from each person supplied, in one year, you must have made
N2.9billion.

This shows that to become rich, you have to stop talking to bosses and
start talking to clients.

*HARD ANALYSIS:*

Divide your SALARY by 30 days and see what you get (i.e. the number of days
in a month and see the funny thing about your salary plan).

For example,
(1) An average level-12 worker in the state government civil service earns
NGN 60,000.
**** And this translates to NGN 60,000÷30= NGN 2,000 every day. This is
LESS THAN the amount made daily by an AVERAGE HAWKER in the city.

(2) A freshly EMPLOYED GRADUATE BANKER in most NIGERIAN BANKS earns an
average of NGN120,000 monthly.
***So everyday, you get NGN120,000÷30= NGN4,000 as the daily value for your
work-life. By implication, this is LESS THAN the amount earned DAILY by an
AVERAGE DRIVER in d city and in some villages.....

(3) If you are a FRESH GRADUATE EMPLOYEE in some oil companies, you earn an
average of NGN300,000 monthly. So in a day your WORK-VALUE is NGN300,000 ÷
30= NGN10,000
**** This is LESS THAN the daily amount earned by an IRRIGATION FARMER
supplying vegetables to Lagos MARKETS, a TIPPER CAR DRIVER supplying sand
for three BLOCK INDUSTRIES and CONSTRUCTION SITES just 3 times a day and
DRIVERS of DANGOTE TRUCKS who have bought off the trucks at scrap value and
vare using them to convey products between villages and the cities for just
five business owners.

--------->>>HOPE BY NOW, IT IS SINKING IN, RIGHT?

And when there is an ISSUE in the FAMILY that requires FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE, the DRIVERS, HAWKERS and the rest are looking up to you with a
WHITE COLLAR JOB.

(4) If you are an NYSC MEMBER, you DON'T need to be told that:
*****NGN33,000÷30 = NGN 1100 is your worth on a daily basis.
I hope you know that PURE WATER SELLERS who own a shop, a pepper soup joint
and a small TOYOTA COROLLA car to distribute pure water to five restaurants
earn MORE THAN you and WHEEL-BARROW PUSHERS working on contract for three
warehouses probably make MORE MONEY than you EACH DAY

............
Wake up and be more productive. We should be more proactive, create room
for more income and strive to diversify our streams of income.

The earlier you wake up and smell the coffee, the better for you......

Someone right now will say this analysis is too ideal to be true but take
your time and do it, you will grasp the crux!!!

STOP waiting for the Government to feed you, feed yourself and help the
Government feed others. That is where we are in this age....

I wish you an Entrepreneurial mindset...... Think ENTREPRENEUR, THINK
PROPERENEUR.