And when I stood on that stage and cracked open my lips, my voice cracked even harder. I just froze. Mind you, I had spent countless nights memorizing my lines for the school-wide play. The same play where all parents were scheduled to attend, and where I was delegated to play the role of General Kutu Acheampong- Ghana’s Former Head of State. What happened between freezing and being carried out of the stage has been completely blurred out of memory.
Roughly a decade later, I found myself back on stage to perform a spoken word poem. And when I stood in that foreign room filled with unfamiliar faces, I knew there were only two options: (1) Accept that stage fright still defines my present or (2) Prove to that little boy that sometimes we face road blocks only because we have been divinely appointed with a responsibility to serve as an example for others.
Aligning my self with the latter option is what made the difference. And the moment a stranger approached me to express her chills, it was so clear that what happened to that little boy was not coincidental. That moment was necessary so God could prepare a table before me (Psalm 23:5). Now as I have continued to evolve in my career, I’ve been invited to speak on stages across four continents. It recently dawned upon me; what an incredibly small price to pay for pursuing a life of meaning.
You see in this game of life, sometimes what’s put in front of you to cripple your destiny is exactly what you need to dribble your way to your purpose. It’s so simple to tune out your past, and create a whole new identity where looking back is taboo. But what you may be forgetting is that at the end of all your exploring, you will arrive exactly where you started. Now as opposed to letting your past destruct you, you have the power to rather see your past as your greatest competitive advantage. And the moment you can learn to nurture this thought and let Love lead, you will be the invincible person you were once moulded to become.