When Life Gives You A Wake up Call. Throwback To My Teen Days.

I recall being a snob during my teen years. My trigger? Being disturbed unnecessarily especially when immersed in my favorite hobbies - reading novels, writing stories, rehearsing choir songs or drawing. I'd get pissed when interrupted and would either ignore calls or respond tardily, just to avoid being pulled away from my activities.

Looking back, I realize my snobbish behavior was just a phase. It was more like a pattern that caused discomfort to those around me, especially my loved ones. More often than not, they'd admonish me, urging me to change, but, like the grasshopper that ended up in the belly of the bird due to its stubbornness, I remained unfazed. Now that I think about it, I believe that was actually juvenile delinquency starting to take a hold, and it took a dramatic incident to snap me out of it.

It was a warm Saturday afternoon, and I was in our backyard, cutting firewood. I was completely absorbed in the task, hoping to get it done soon so I can attend to other chores before heading out for my choir practice. The sound of the axe hitting the stone was the only thing that mattered, and I didn't even notice my mom calling me from afar. But when I finally stopped and heard her voice, I knew I was in trouble. Her tone was laced with anger, and I could tell she had been trying to get my attention for a while. I quickly moved towards the front yard to answer her, but as I got closer, I sighted her already storming towards me, her face stern, slippers in hand, and I knew a brain resetting was imminent if I don't act fast. 😂

So I turned around and ran back towards the backyard, but in my haste, I made a critical mistake. I turned back to see if she was still coming towards me, and that's when the firewood hit me - right on my left eyebrow. I hadn't seen it coming, and my mom had apparently picked up a piece of wood and flung it at me in frustration.

I staggered and fell, losing consciousness. I couldn't even recall how long I was out, but the next thing I knew, I felt like I was out in the rain, showers washing down my face. In that unconscious state, I could hear our neighbor calling out to my mom, worried that I hadn't moved. When I came to, I was being carried and truly, I felt some droplets dripping down my face. Apparently, they had sprinkled water on me, to try to revive me.

I tried opening my eyes but felt a sharp pain on my left eyes and I closed them back immediately. The smell of methylated spirit prompted me to open them again, but only I only succeeded with the right one, just to see our kind neighbour administerig first aid on me, and my mom, standing over her, overcome with guilt and worry. After that, I was given analgesic and I slept off soon afterwards. When I awoke, my left eyes felt so heavy and, the pain, unbearable. Touching it, I saw it was guazed, and then it dawned on me that I've gotten injured by the wood.

That night, I took another analgesic, but that didn't help. All through the night, I felt excruciating pain, coupled with headache and fever, which made it impossible for me to sleep well. The next morning, my dad took me to the hospital for proper care.

For over over a week, I missed school, but my best friend, who was also my classmate and living in my neighborhood made sure I didn't miss any homework and my notes updated. She'd come around after school to hand me her notes to update mine and also help out in the homework. She's indeed an angel, and I was grateful for her thoughtfulness and act of kindness.

That experience was a wake-up call for me. I realized that my behavior wasn't just about being a bit snobby or dismissive; it was about respecting the people around me, especially my loved ones. I began to reflect on my actions and the thought of what could have happened if things had taken a worse turn was the kicker for me. I made a decision to work on my behavior and be more considerate of others. It wasn't easy to change overnight, but I remained committed and my conscious efforts paid off.

I'm not perfect. Even at this age, I still have moments where old habits kick in. 😜

That incident left an indelible scar on my left eyebrow, a constant reminder to my "teenscapade". Lol. That nonwithstanding, it also thought me a valuable lesson about empathy and respect. Today, I'm grateful for that wake-up call and I'm more mindful of my behaviour and it's impact on others.

Life would always teach us the hard way.

Thank you for reading.

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