Greetings!
Helping people in life is something that has become part of me. I have helped a lot of people that I have crossed my path with, however I have not received help from any of them. The only thing that has been keeping me going in all I'm doing is that statement that my parents used to tell me when I'm downcast that,
“Not everyone that you help will pay you back, just continue doing good to all and in due time, you will reap your reward.”
The first time my mum told me this, I was happy and elated thanking her for the insightful statement as I was about to be weary when she uttered that statement to me and this is because of what transpired between me and my best friend Whose name is Ade.
Ade and I were best of friends and our friendship was dated to our year three(3) in the university. Then, I was squatting with a friend who happened to be my fellowship member on campus, but this brother who was far older to me was not as relatable as Ade who was my age.
So, what actually brought Ade and I was our age bracket as I could really relate with the old cargo man in the person of bro. Segun who although advised me not to solely rely on Ade as my best friend. He said,
“Sam, this guy, Ade that you are romancing with is not the kind of guy you should be romancing with as I don't trust him to be the good guy he portrayed himself to be, just be careful.”
Even when he had told me this, I didn't really take his words of advice to heart as I was like he didn't want me to be a friend to Ade, not knowing he was only telling me the truth.
So, when Ade and I started our friendship, it's like there's no other relationship on that campus as people who knew us knew us to be more than a friend and that was when I began to see bro. Segun as a bad person who would not want me to have someone like Ade as my best friend.
Although we are not in the same department in the university, everyone in my department knew us to be the best of friends and vice versa.
The journey of our togetherness was so smooth and rosy and It got to a time when our parents were even involved in the relationship. I could remember both families attending functions of each other's family together. Atimes, both will buy the same uniform or fabrics to attend functions together.
That's the extent at which our friendship has gone with our different families. So, this was how we lived and journeyed together both on and off the campus.
However, after our final exams we both graduated together and not only that, we were still doing things together as our separation from the university after the graduation didn't tell on your relationship.
After few years of our graduation, I secured a job with one of the state government in the country and on my first day of resuming to this work, I asked if there's a cooperative society where I would be contributing part of my monthly earnings and I was told there's one and immediately I heard that, I joined and it wasn't too long after I joined that Ade called for help. He said,
“Sam, I have been processing my travelling abroad and at this point I'm in need of money to complete the process, can you please lend me money?” “I just spent a year in my place of work and in the cooperative and I don't think I would be eligible for any loan now, but if I'm eligible to take loan, I will surely get back to you,” I replied. “Like when should I be expecting your response on this matter?” He asked. “Very soon,” I replied.
After our phone conversation, I called the chairman of the cooperative society and he said I'm eligible for double of what I had saved with the cooperative. When I heard this, I was happy and this was because of my love for Ade and not only that, for the purpose of our friendship and family ties.
Although I had it in mind to tell my parents what was going on between both of us, I decided not to tell them as I believe they would not stop me from helping a friend. In the end, I collected the money from the cooperative and lent it to Ade who promised to refund the money as soon as he travelled out of the country.
Fortunately, everything clicked for him and he was able to get out of the country and when he got there, he promised to refund the money and asked me to give him more time, but alas! After waiting for years, he refused to refund me and even blocked me from accessing him.
Ab initio, I thought things were not fine with him over there until I was told by my parents that he's just buying up properties at home. When I heard this, I felt cheated and that was when I opened up to my parents and that's what prompted my mum telling me that,
“Not everyone that you help will pay you back, just continue doing good to all and in due time, you will reap your reward.”
To cut the long story short, I have been rewarded for my good deeds as bro. Segun who accommodated me years back has helped me process my travelling and I'm now where Ade believed I would not get to, but I'm not actually angry with him as God has also helped me too.
Thanks for reading.
Picture sourced from metaAi.
It is sad to see that the energy you give to people is not the same energy you get in return. Sometimes, when you seek to demand what you feel is due for you, they end up saying you complain a lot. I believe in the statement from your mum, sometimes we get paid back not by those that helps us but by different people entirely.
Wow! This is really nice piece. Thank you for sharing it with us.