Where Is Your Laughter?…

Yessss….Yesssss your money for back. The bus conductor dashed any hope I had of catching a brief nap on my way to work. I faced the window and attempted to sleep again only for him to nudge me; yessss sister your money, I no get change oh…after attempting to give him my special brand of ”bad eye” I dug out my wallet and paid him.

I put my head down again and continued my bumpy ride to work until the guy beside me decided that 6:15 am was the best time to play Eleda Mi by Olamide on his loud “chinko” phone, I raised my head to glare at him but when I saw that he and some other passengers on the bus were humming along to the song, I decided not be a kill joy and reached into my hand bag for my earpiece. I searched and searched and only then did I realize that one of my brothers must have borrowed it and forgot to return it to my bag. At this point I was so distraught and all the sleep I was clinging to had fled from my eyes.

Before long I was at my bustop and when I got down from the bus I remembered  hadn’t collected my  750 Naira change from the conductor, I turned to ask him but the bus was zooming away and I couldn’t run after it. At this point I was livid, and  was so convinced that my day was off to a bad start. I had my frown in place and proceeded to climb the bridge and then I saw a friend of mine…

This friend of mine is a crippled guy that sits on the Lekki bridge every morning. There’s always a smile on his face as he whistles cheerily while sweeping the bridge from corner to corner… Him: Ah “Ore Mi! (Ore Mi is the Yoruba word for My Friend) how you dey today? why your face be like this? wey your laugh dey”? Hearing this promptly turned my frown into a smile and I reached into my bag to give him some money like I do daily, but he stopped me and said: “Ore, no worry, this laugh wey you laugh so don reach me,we go see tomorrow”. 

That gesture touched me deep in my soul, because it dawned on me that while I was busy talking myself into being angry so early in the morning, this guy who has no legs and no job was busy finding joy while he was sweeping the bridge. Where is your laughter? where is your smile? the economy is dwindling, you don’t have a car, a good job, a spouse, a house, Brazilian and Peruvian hair, lol… whatever it may be. Learn from my friend on the bridge like i did and make up your mind to be happy and be grateful no matter what the circumstances may be.

Laughter is good for the soul, laugh often and do your best to make other people laugh too, you will be glad you did!

Proverbs 17:22- ”A merry heart doeth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit drieth the bones…”

Random Fact: Dark chocolate, honey and eggs can help increase blood flow, prevent depression and increase your energy.