In Cameroon, we have a chronic and backward syndrome called #PHD, yes, PHD - Pull Her/Him Down. When we see someone ascending, or obtaining something we yearned for, or achieving something we wish we could, sometimes our envy, jealousy, hurt, wound, deception can transform into an ugly vile of hatred. That's fine. But when that hatred develops into public out lash and defamation, then there is a problem. People are entitled to speculate, to have an opinion, but defamation - I.e. to dirty someone's name based on unfounded stories, is wrong - socially, legally and humanly.
I understand however that envy and rejection can show the ugliest faces of some people; yet as young leaders we must learn and train ourselves to deal gracefully with rejection. To accept failures with dignity. To self-examine ourselves - see what we did right, what we did wrong, what we can improve on. To analyse what made a winner win, and emulate some of those characteristics. As youths, with the many years we still have to live (God willing) we should learn to learn, adjust, improve, believe again and try again. Whatsapp founder got rejected by fb and twitter 5 years ago, but Last year the same company that rejected him bought his product at $19billion dollars. Isn't that a lesson on perseverance and dusting oneself up and trying again? Why do we, Cameroonian youth, sometimes try to justify our setbacks by throwing stones at other people's success. Why do we accept our mediocrity by sabotaging other people's success stories? Why do we, even with blatant proof that our spéculations about someone are unfounded continue to hold on to our lies to prove to ourselves and our conscience that we were right, no matter what. Part of growing up into capable adults is to be able to take responsibility for one's actions or admit one made a mistake. Because as long as we let bitterness or anger sit into our bodies, we will only attract negativity in our life.
I am one of those some will call overly optimistic, but I do believe that the more we think positive and we have a positive outlook on life, the more positive things will come to us. I don't just believe In it, It live it. It have experienced it throughout my life. The more we open our hearts to love, to care, to understanding, to our passions, the more our desires will be given to us. The Bible says it well , "commit yourself to the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." (P's 37:4) Paulo Coelho also said it in he Alchemist, "when you really want something, the while universe will help you achieve it." Sadly though, while some are letting their light shine, trying to please God, and sending positivity to the world, others sit in the comfort of their rooms to develop thesis to criticize those who are being elevated. But the Bible and these universal truths are not exclusive. They belong to everyone who has the faith to believe,to grab it and act on it.
So, the saddest part of the story is that, while the PHDs are too focused on Pulling Her/Him Down, they are missing out on their chance/opportunity to exercise God's love to gain the best from Him. A generation with some, too blinded by anger and envy, that they miss out on tapping into the potential and abundant source of love that they have to become great and elevated by Him.As a follower of Jesus Christ, as a Human lover, as a youth leader, as a wife, as a worker, as a Cameroonian citizen and as an AfroOptimist, I choose LOVE because love helps us to understand, respect, forgive, give, give the benefit of doubt, appreciate, encourage, live. I chose to arm my eyes with glasses of love, guard my heart with love, that even if I criticize it will be with love, if I argue it will be love, if I disagree it shall be with love. I choose love, and I let Jéhovah Shaphat do the judging.
At the end of the day, in my opinion, there are no two cures to eradicate this PHD syndrome in our communities. You might say I'm biased, but my faith guides my thoughts and actions. I believe many people need to be Injected with two antidotes to the PHD virus, these Injections will cause them to:
1. Want to and try their best to Love God with all their might, strength, and spirit, and
2. Try their very best to Love their neighbors as themselves,
And if their body does not respond to the antidote in that way, let their body, mind and conscience not rest, until they act according to those injections. Lol.
How will Cameroon not be a GOLDEN place with such an antidote?
I'm done. With love,
Olivia
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