PAY NOW OR PAY LATER? CHOOSE! (Vol. 1)

‘I GOT MORE THAN SHE DID AT THE END’

Little did I know I was sowing good seeds ahead of time, when I spent most of my time doing what some people tagged ‘unimportant’. The reverse was the case for my roommate, Joana who later learnt her lessons the hard way.

This was how it all started:

It took me less than a month to notice a whole lot about Joana. Luckily for us, we moved into the room the same day and we wasted no time in relating with each other much better than I expected. We became cool friends and remained as such until she began to give me some distance. Well, the reason was not far-fetched. Joana felt offended with the fact that I offered ‘friendly advice’ most times I saw she was gradually drifting away from her previous ‘serious’ self. I tried my best to be non-judgmental in my approach but she often times told me “we were different set of people”.

 The ‘serious’ Joana would burn the mid-night candle to read and create time for other important activities but now, she seems to be the shadow of her former self. She preferred spending her money on items that made her appear ‘excessively’ attractive rather than educational materials. She simply lost focus and now wanted to be the focus of several people with her ‘attention-seeking and popularity agenda’.

Talking about looking ‘excessively’ attractive, who does not want to look good or appear presentable especially among your colleagues? I also liked looking good but I felt it had to be in moderation. So I spent less on looking good than she did and spent more on self-investment. Where Joana spent her allowance on getting new dresses, wearing heaving heavy makeover and visiting the movies every week, I preferred to spend my money on purchasing certain books outside my academic discipline. These books talked about self-development, good public speaking abilities and some entrepreneurship programmes.

Although, I seemed to be occupied with all that, I still had my ‘good grades’ in view. My mid-night candle was still burning. On some days I wore makeup as well but very light ones since I wasn’t an attention seeker. I seemed to be the ‘background’ lady in class and yes of course among the least famous students.

Back to Joana, I assumed she had probably found another method of reading, ‘something that worked for her apart from studying at night’ but I was wrong. Popularity and attention had taken over. How did I know? Like they always say “time will tell’. Our first semester results were pasted on the result board and unfortunately for Joana, hers didn’t come out well. What made it worse was the fact that the popularity she had now gained paved way for people’s curiosity about her results. She was ridiculed by some members of her department and the academic community. I felt sorry for her because she could have avoided the entire embarrassments if only she had set her priorities right, invested in self-building and her academics. She lost the respect of some people. Something she now had to pay for to get back. She could have paid earlier on. She could have paid the better way.

I don’t want to appear boastful. My grades came out excellently well. I was among the best three students of my department and whenever I look back, I see the rewards for sacrifices and payments I made. I earned popularity in my department and the academic community as a result of my good result; something Joana seemed crazy about. I even earned more! It was then I learnt that:

 “A beautiful/handsome face, ‘flashy’ or ‘excessively’ attractive appearance gives only ATTRACTION and temporary ATTENTION.

 Good grades, good brains Andy​ good attitude gives you RESPECT, GOOD REPUTATION and ATTENTION.

Knowing GOD gives you TOTAL BEAUTY”.

WHICH DO YOU WANT? THE CHOICE IS YOURS!

This is just one out of the numerous cases where the law of ‘seed time and harvest/sowing and reaping’ applies in life. 

Now is the time to pay the price and make sacrifices for the future.

 Take out time and make efforts towards self-investments (things capable of building you up to becoming a better and reputable individual) because when ‘the future’ eventually comes, it will make certain demands and bring several tests that will require how well you’ve been able to fare with regards to self-investment. Be sure to know that this subject matter of self-investment or self-building plays a crucial role in the life of every person.

Make use of every opportunity you have to acquire necessary skills and trainings now. You never can tell how useful and productive they may be in the nearest future. Self-investment grows beyond ‘skills’. It includes values and virtues as well. Keep building yourself, Keep being better! Now is the time to pay the price!  

Nevertheless, the choice is yours! You either pay now (with enjoyment of the benefits later) or pay later/play now (with the undesirable consequences later). Don’t wait till you learn from your mistakes the ‘hard’ way when you can avoid making them in the first place. Pay now or Pay later? The truth is you’ll pay all the same!

Choose wisely!