Its quite amazing peoples notion of resting. Different views exist with different people as to when to rest. I don’t  have the luxury at my disposal now to expound on it but i just want to share my experience of last week.

I have been feeling malaria symptoms for a while but kept postponing its treatment simply because i was caught up with my  work. Eventually, i  saw a pharmacist, and complained and requested for a medication that won’t knock me out. Now i happen to get knocked out whenever i take anti malaria drugs so i was quite particular about what i wanted. But talk of postponing the day of reckoning! Took the medication quite alright, no side effects whatsoever (or so i thought). But, instead of getting better, i went worse! Lost weight within two days! And feeling at the worse end i could think of! So i took a break, went home to meet my folks, away from the busy bustle of office and Lagos. Went to put my head somewhere to recuperate. The results? Amazing! Didn’t take any extra medication, no doctor, nothing just a sweet blessed long deserved rest|!

Its amazing how we take our health for granted during our most productive years. When you look into our dailies, topping the list of obituaries are young men and women and you wonder whats happening. According to United Nations Statistics for average years of 2005-2010; Nigeria ranks 130th in position in life expectancy with overall life expectancy at birth at 46.9%. Males were 46.4% while females 47.3% which is 30% below world average!

All we think of is to make money, to make a breakthrough all at the expense of our health. I sometimes wonder, if people hold eternity in perspective at all. I reflect on the fact that, if after making all the money at the expense of your health, family, friends etc what would you be thinking on your deathbed? What would cross your mind, when the cold hands of death gradually inch up snuffing life out of you.

When i see obituaries and i check the age, its always between the age of 40 to 60 at most, and due to one illness or the other. And i wonder (as i always do) so short?!

People, its high time we take  our health seriously, that we rest when we need to and  prioritize  our activities appropriately. Life is short, but we can blaze a trail and make maximum lasting impact  if we live by the right principles and take responsibility for our actions.