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It was a very gloomy day! A friend I expected so much from had just disappointed me in addition to the unhappy event in my forum of inspirations, so I decided to end the day’s business and return back home. While driving home, I suddenly felt extremely famished. I had left the house early in the morning with some excitements and high expectations that I gave up my breakfast. Even at break time in the office, I again skipped lunch while patiently waiting for my august visitor who later called with some flimsy excuses. |
I had barely eased myself out of the car when I shouted for my dinner. Call it “transferred aggression” and you won’t be far from truth. “Ah! You’re back already; I didn’t expect you this early” my wife enthused. “Well, that is not the issue; I just need my food please!” I bellowed as I put on the TV set and tossed my tired figure into my favourite couch in our sitting room.
“OK, I see, it is today’s friendly match between Mexico and Nigeria that brought you back this early” suggested my wife as she made her way to the kitchen to prepare my dinner. I smiled to myself, I had even forgotten about the soccer encounter but this was a nice reminder, at least something good enough to assuage my aching ego. It was few minutes before the kick off and the Nigerian national television (NTA) was already having the pre-match analysis and I just had to join by considering each opinion of the panel.
I was getting gradually lighter in spirit now while watching the program. From the half-opened kitchen door I could hear my wife humming one of my favourite hymns – Blessed Assurance – while preparing food. Mmmmm!! That sounded nice and assuring. I was already singing along with her in spirit as she changed to another sweet soul lifter – I have Joy like a River in my Soul. Slowly and peacefully but unconsciously, I started gliding aloof with strong but soft and gentle support propelling me upward. I saw that I was flying, yet there was no element of fright in me and I could not feel any strong wind against me, only the moving white cloud and the sonorous music of “Joy like a River in my Soul”.
I was still trying to figure out what was going on when suddenly, every movement around me stopped, my supportive and propelling force equally ceased but at this moment, the law of gravity failed me. I thought I was going to nose-dived back down but here was I, floating in space like the Astronauts floating about in their Spaceship. The feeling was holy and totally transforming – no fear, no worry, peace everywhere. The sun was lighting up the whole environment but it only gave light without any form of heat; I could look at it directly without hurting my eyes.
Where am I? I asked myself. “You are experiencing Heaven” answered a clear baritone voice that came out of me. I looked around and saw no one else beside me. Heaven! Heaven!! Heaven!!! I thought, “This is sweet, I rather remain here than just experiencing it”
Then from nowhere appeared food; or was it manna? I could not make out its form or make but it had all my favourite tastes, flavours and aromas fussed together. It was super delicious and yummy and while I was searching around for cutleries or trying to decide whether to act the African style with my bare hands and five fingers, BAAM!!! I was fed automatically. How it was done is still a mystery to me. “Thank you” I offered my appreciation after such a supernatural sumptuous meal. “You are welcome” came the magical voice from within.
At this point the song was back – I got Joy – this time it was sang in chorus by multitude of singers with all the nodes and parts complete. I was forced to lift my eyes to see where it came from. And there from afar but near enough to see, were thousands of millions of people, singing, clapping, playing and dancing. Wowww! This must be Angels, they are so beautiful. “Yes they are my people” was the in-built voice’s confirmation.
Then I had the extraordinary urge to look down. So I tilted myself a little from my upright position and alas! I saw a large expanse of space littered with tiny globules suspended in it. And the voice within urged me to focus and concentrate! I did to the best of my ability and with my foreknowledge of geography I knew this must be the universe and its planets. “Focus on your interest” came the voice again. Great! My interest is my world, my continent - Africa, my country - Nigeria, my home, my wife! So I focussed, Ahh! I could see her now. She is still in the kitchen cooking and humming the same hymn. I increased the intensity of my focus for better clarity, and then I saw something strange, like electromagnetic waves, oozing out of her mind directed towards my new abode. Halfway to Heaven, the wave signals were processed, diagnosed and interpreted as tiny readable messages emanating from thoughts, prayers, desires, yearnings and wishes. I discovered I could use any language to read the messages! Ohhh! I could read her very clearly, she’s half occupied by my moody countenance and acidic outburst this evening! She’s considering what else to do to change my mood apart from the dish she was preparing. What else? Ahhh!! She is still earnestly yearning for our own children; this weighted more than 70% of her thoughts and prayers to Heaven. I was now waiting for the voice within to offer some explanations to this deep desire; this was a rare opportunity to have a first-hand answer to this wish which is a major concern to me too, but surprisingly, nothing came out. I tried to force “Him” to talk, I even simulated anger (naturally, this was not possible here) but still no response. I now remember a part in Lady Sara Blow’s celebrated AOV – Egoism Could be Your Salvation where she wrote: A man of true convictions of success believes in himself. He, also, believes in the power of the Creator who made him and patterns his life as such..........
T hen as if shaken out of slumber, the long expected voice within came alive “You just thought right” He said. This time I was never excited at all, so I ignored Him and instead refocused my new-found power on something else. I thought I should visit the Nigerian and Mexican soccer camps to see what was going on before the kick-off of their friendly. Again, I saw those thought-waves emanating profusely from both camps and their supporters but this time the messages were conflicting. Nigerian players and their fanatical supporters were praying for a win in far away Mexico while the Mexicans on the other hand thought justice should work in their favour; after all, they invited the Africans to their home country for the friendly. “This is what we face every moment here from your world, you can imagine what it takes to be the ALMIGHTY” was the swift response from the voice within. I was no more interested in His explanation, so again, I ignored Him.
Where else should I visit? I asked myself. Aha! My Adlandpro friends. I wanted to view my co-host Judy, also Neil, Peter, Georgios, Jim, my Uncle Tom, Sharon, Joyce, Joe D, Leslye, Bugdan, Lady Terry, Kathy, Geketa ……. I wanted to view them all from my highland. I needed to read their wishes, their thoughts, their friendship, their all!!! I wanted to have a first hand reality view of our Adlandpro community. How much love flows here? How much meaning do we add to our supposed friendly community? Now, I could see the community with its more than 70,000 members but messages were too blurred and complicated for easy interpretation. “I need to see the band of love, forgiveness, friendship, encouragement, here please” I directed my Helper. Maybe I need to focus individually on each Adlander, I told myself when I could not hear from my friend. Who do I start from? Aha, Judy’s face was already coming up clearer and clearer and….
“Goooooal……..!!!” Where did that come from? It definitely wasn’t the voice within; this was an entirely different voice. Oopss! And Judy’s image was fast fading away. No!! What is going on? I was getting apprehensive. I could neither feel the power nor the weight of the voice within anymore. Suddenly, I could feel pains again. Something was hurtfully pressing and shaking me, also it brought back hunger and anger I had long forgotten. The satisfied, sweet and peaceful feeling was completely gone now.
“Wake up, Nigerian has scored and your dinner is ready” came my wife’s voice with another round of violent shaking. “No, I don’t want to wake up, I have already dinned with my God” I cried as I slowly raised my tired figure from the couch with so much anger and disappointment. It was a dream, I was fully awake now. Oh no! I wished I could return to finish that assignment, I wish I…….
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