No Matter How Good Mama's Cooking, She Cannot Create A New Hunger

Mama’s cooking! In the kitchen, she stews beef with vegetables and spices. The aroma is tantalizing but Mama is far from finished. She is making her famed jollof recipe, letting everything to simmer slowly on low heat, to absorb the flavors of her herbs and spices. When the stew is done, she adds rice into the mix, gently stirs the rich mixture and turns the heat further down. “Slow and steady, slow and steady,” she mutters to herself as she sets down her wooden ladle and unties her apron.

Everybody loves Mama’s cooking; her children, neighbors and grandchildren. But when she makes her famed jollof rice, everybody loves her the more. And everybody knows her jollof takes its own sweet time to cook so they prepare to wait.

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Kumi walks with his Dad into his grandmother’s house, sweaty from hiking and famished. The aroma in Mama’s kitchen wafts through his nose, making his stomach churn with hunger. “Grandma is that jollof? Is it ready? I am hungry!”

“Dinner will be served in half an hour. Go have a bath and wait a few minutes,” Grandma replied.

But Kumi didn’t want to wait. He was hungry and he wanted food, now.

So when his father went to have his bath, Kumi poured himself a cup of soda and cut a slice of bread, and convincing himself it was only something small to pacify his hunger till dinner was ready, he gobbled down his snack.

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In no time, dinner was served. Rice, stew, vegetables and tender, tantalizing beef. The family sat down, each person filling their plate with Mama’s culinary goodness. Grandmother served Kumi, but to his disappointment, he couldn’t enjoy his meal, his hunger was gone!

Kumi watched his family enjoy the delicious food but try as he would, he just couldn’t eat much. His grandma noticed his sad countenance and asked why. ” I ate bread and had a cup of soda but i really, really want to eat my rice,” he explained.

“Well Kumi,” Grandma replied, ” I know how to cook but I don’t know how to create hunger.”

The Lesson

When you’re actively preparing towards a vision, there will be decoys, false promises and distractions. You may be tempted at some point to take a tempting short cut, which may not necessary give as gratifying a reward as your original plan.

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So be mindful, whatever you do, keep your eye on the prize, don’t be sidetracked. Do not lose your patience and do something you know you shouldn’t do. Keep working diligently towards your vision, so that when opportunity comes, you will be prepared to fully take advantage of it.

Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.

–SENECA

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