Poverty outrages me. Haunting thoughts blanket my mind at all times l glance at someone in lack. Having lived under the influence, in the past 7 years, I’ve slowly grown to an understanding that poverty, being the greatest of all sicknesses, is all psychology. About lack, l hate most of the effects that poverty technically executes. Not only does poverty denature you physically, but the sickness also goes beyond the pain in blood, as it cripples your self-esteem and technical performance.
Literally, poverty imprisons you with life in insecurity sentence, a state of extreme unsatisfactory with your self, to the extent that the individual feels no longer in charge. There is nothing so painful as working up with great enthusiasm and excitement for the day, and the first meal just won’t be incongruence with your mood.
Every dawn, therefore the victimized individual affirms and reinstalls the fact that he or she is a looser, moments before any activity of the day. Poverty takes it all, at its introduction in your life, everyone just can’t stand you and flees away. You suddenly become a burden to everyone, a burden no one seems, or ever will claim. A sudden twist of fate takes the course as you watch everything good in your life disappear as sickness, diss-appointments, and all forms of pain claim the title deeds of your control.
My father was forced into early retirement from his job as a primary school teacher by the government in the year 2014. Fuelled by vigorous quarrels with my mother, “lack” forced my father to abandon us. Life ever since has been a complete hustle as my unemployed mother single-handedly took care of us.
Because of lack, l don’t feel in-possession of my past remembered years, as l can not reckon a day of my honest joyful smile. Upon realization that the disease was all psychological, l made an oath to my self, never to allow any kind of negativity to swallow my attention.
To reinforce that, l started doing motivational speaking, so that positivity be wired into my system and so once or twice a week, l help a few souls get over the same burden that once buried me. To my surprise, ever since the day of my new life declaration, everything has been moving super smooth with life.
l have slowly managed to get my family over the happenings of the past so that the brightness of the future is not hindered with long-gone ghost shadows of pain. l am someone who accepts any life challenge with both hands now, as l believe l have sharpened me well enough to tackle any situation. l used to sing along the painful song of poverty once, dressing and showing mechanical behaviors that clearly explained to any observer my wallet status.
Lesson Learned
l strongly believe that my current reality will not define my conclusion.
About The Writer
Mqhelisi Ndlovu, working as a ZUPCO bus conductor, with the little l get, l dress like a king.
