You Can’t Run Away From Yourself

From the day his son, Sanu, was born Mr. Lawal sought through this child, his unfulfilled desire to play professional soccer. Hardly could little Sanu be found wearing a shirt that did not have a number on the back. A soccer ball was always in the midst of his toys and his father made sure Sanu sat with him when he entertained himself with the slew of professional matches shown on television every Saturday morning.

After his 10th birthday, the first rays of the morning sun never again met Sanu in bed, for Mr. Lawal took his son with him on his early morning jog and continued the youngster’s training in the evening with ball drills and lateral speed work. His strictness pushed his son to excel both in the classroom and on the field such that the soccer competitions at the high school level was no match for the 17 year old prodigy. His stellar performance on the pitch caught the eye of a professional scout who invited him to train in their development league after his high school graduation. Upon hearing this news, Mr. Lawal  picked up his son with a wide grin that betrayed his taciturn nature; his excitement could not be contained.

At 19, Sanu was called up to the first team and Mr. Lawal’s main goal in life was finally realized. From a young age, he tolerated no slackness from Sanu. He challenged and pushed him to heights Sanu did not know existed and now he proudly watches his son on television every Saturday. The passage of a few quiet months, however, abated his excitement and his pride slowly turned into sadness, for he felt unfulfilled despite the accomplishment of his life’s goal. He poured all his energy towards the highest physical development of his son but neglected his own development. He found it easier to demand excellence from his son than to demand it for himself, and with Sanu’s transition into adulthood his emptiness became ever more apparent. He had relied on his son for his self-worth for so long that he was lost without him. The unavoidable process of self-discovery must now begin if he wishes for inner peace.

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Mankind has poured the greater part of his energy towards the development of his intellect which is tied to the physical body and is therefore transient. He has reached the moon with his intellect while his spirit, which is eternal, remains trapped within the limits of the earth.  We have found it easier to demand inventions from the intellect to address the effects of the ills of the earth than to search for its causes within ourselves and thereby chart a different course led by an awakened spirit.  As with Mr. Lawal, we have obligated ourselves to becoming BUSY with the illusion that we are exacting a positive change in our circumstance whilst truly, we are running away from the true work that is ourselves