Day: January 18, 2020

A trip

~ osasuoviawe ~ 1 Comment

While doing a shopfloor tour yesterday, I saw a colleague trip, but luckily did not fall. His reaction was both shocking and revealing to me.

He first looked around to check if anyone saw what happened to him, acted like he was fine, and did not bother to stop to check what made him trip or whether he was without pain. He was more concerned about avoiding the shame of anyone else seeing his trip. More concerned about that, than the lesson. More concerned about that, than his own health.

I then called out and walked up to him, to redirect his focus, with empathy.

First I asked, “How are you feeling?”. A quick response came, “Fine, thank you”. I sensed it was still a needless face-saving response. So i prodded further, “Please pay attention to your body, how are you feeling? Check for any strains or pains”. And then he replied, “I feel a slight strain on my left lower back”. I quickly replied, “Okay, please we need to get to the clinic and make sure you get more comfortable”. To which he replied, “Thank you”.

Next I moved to inquire on the reason for the trip and agree ways to report it and prevent it from happening again to others. It was mutually enriching.

The experience made me think deeply about myself. How often my vulnerabilities have surfaced, and how I was more concerned about what others would think, than on how it made me feel or how I could deal with it.

Interestingly, most of these vulnerabilities are common in humanity. People empathize when they see you going through it. But empathy stops when they perceive a cover-up. They can perceive a cover-up, because they have also tried to cover-up and noticed it served no purpose.

We learn by accepting our vulnerabilities and seeking help, when needed. It might feel embarrassing at the start, but it is liberating just after the start.

– Osasu Oviawe

Massages

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Massages cannot replace workout.

Whether it has to do with the body, processes or numbers.

Massages are short term feel good processes.

Workouts are long term exerting processes.

– Osasu Oviawe

Sinners

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Mark 2:13-17
He went out again beside the sea; and all the crowd gathered about him, and he taught them. And as he passed on, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. And as he sat at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were sitting with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many who followed him. And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Homily:

Who do you name and shame as a sinner?

A prostitute? A murderer? A thief? A slanderer? An adulterer?

To understand the context of the above scripture, first, you need to replace “the scribes of the Pharisees” with your name, and answer the question – Who would I see Jesus dining with, that will make me recoil?

If you do not have an answer to that question, search deeper.

If you have an answer, go to those people and help to open the door of their hearts. Jesus has been standing just outside, waiting for them to open the door to him. To open the door of their hearts, you must first open yours, by rejecting prejudice.

I know what you might be saying, “Are you out of your mind? Go and meet a prostitute to talk about Jesus? I cannot even be seen with one”. In the process of acting against your own judgment of condemnation, and opening yourself up to share a part of you with who the world abhors, you walk in the steps of Jesus. This is a key for opening the door.

He calls for sinners, answer.