By Gordon Asare Bediako
Permit me, on this special day of mine, to share some life experiences, the aim of which is to etch in this day, some lessons I’ve had to learn about dealing with disappointments and not giving up.
Sometime in the year 2000 when I was graduating as a Professional Teacher, I received a plaque whose words in citation have guided me till date. Part of it read: “See problems as opportunities for growth and Self Mastery”.
Little did I know that this was going to be a cardinal mark to guide my life, such that, even when all power in my arsenals failed, and in circumstances of unwarranted disappointment by friends and loved ones as it sometimes happens in life, that phrase was going to be ingrained into my being and deeply seated in my mind.
Tracing down to some of my life’s experiences, and the many successes I can humbly point out, one of which is Bɛkyerɛ Mu, which airs live on Facebook and MYABC TV on YOUTUBE every Saturday evening 6-8pm.
Bɛkyerɛ Mu is a socio-politico- economic program aimed at providing an important platform which in part [if not whole] has aimed at giving Ghanaians their much anticipated desire for probity and accountability on socio- economic issues which are in want for explanation.
The birth of Bɛkyerɛ Mu despite giving it much thought and planning, was characterized with such labour pains, it almost proved impossible for its birth.
From sourcing for the media crew, to securing panelists whose time and contributions was going to be greatly valued and all technical hands were no small feats to accomplish.
There have been times where disappointments gave me the stare down, simply because people you could trust to entrust to them opportunity for career growth, and prosperity will just totally and completely mess you up with without recourse to the long effects of their actions chiming into the future with the possibility of blocking others who are equally good, the chance.
The twist and turns at the maiden production, didn’t lead to the much anticipated miscarriage even after the abled production team unfairly, abandoned and jumped ship without warning or signaling “mayday mayday”. Such actions surely become disconcerting and disheartening knowing that those you thought shared in your dream and were in your corner could by the butting of an eyelid vanish and leave you desperate-
Thankfully although the first production came through on life support, without a production team on-site, having abandoned ship, and waving the white flag to signify total and complete surrender when the going got tough, the first edition of Bɛkyerɛ Mu was a success regardless of the major let downs and disappointments.
Bɛkyerɛ Mu has seen an up thrust and surge that can only be described as spiralling to the top, and despite the preceding hiccups and problems encountered with the production crew in subsequent productions, Bekyere Mu has seen three successful productions, today’s being the fourth.
Ironically, I will take the opportunity to thank my production team who have learned the art of fizzling out on me, like the effervescent from a carbonated drink, having mastered the art of vanishing into thin air when needed most, sometimes giving such tasteless excuses that one has to sorely swallow with a pinch of salt in other to make it tasty.
As I type this, the fourth edition is hanging in the balance, and despite the fact that I am struggling with a defibrillator to urgently resuscitate this production which I am afraid cannot telecast to my ardent viewers my Video Editor is nowhere to be found.
Reports reaching me indicate he took a lady to the alter today. (I have the pictures. Probably I should post them so you avoid him like plague).
Who could imagine that my able editor, after several attempts to ensure this fourth edition is produced successfully, to which he gave all assurances, he chose today of all days to disappear only to appear at his own wedding and surely has the business of the day completely lost on him.
Well, it is the horse that is hamstrung that can’t race, but I refuse to consider Bekyere Mu as that horse that is being forced to retire from the tracks.
This fourth edition will surely come off regardless [although not today]. Such disappointments by colleagues and friends is just unprecedented and warrants such condemnation that should not be encouraged.
My consolation comes from the fact that through it all God has never let me down.
I take this opportunity to encourage friends out there that even Jesus couldn’t find one of His disciples praying in wait for him on that mount of transfiguration in his most weak moments when He so needed His disciples to pray with him. (I hope I’m not being…)
So yes my life is made even more beautiful by the many problems and challenges that come to maim and intend to cripple me, for in those scars I can see the goodness of the Lord.
I have come to believe that indeed not all problems come to weigh you down.
There are problems that indeed come as opportunities for growth and self-mastery.
