Tuesday, December 9, 2008

The Tanker Driver


I used to have one thing called Tankerphobia. It started because of a story my mother said that before I was born. She said a tanker came running into them directed at her (or me). She made me believe that it wanted to prevent me from being (I think I have blogged about this sometime in the past). Having that fear, I never wanted to drive. After managing to learn how to drive, I had a couple of episodes with tanker drivers. I have had a smashed booth, destroyed side mirrors and cars that panel-beating could not restore because of tanker drivers. I have even pursued a tanker driver with barefoot.

On this fateful day when I was trying my driving skills in Lagos, I came to a junction that led to an expressway. Cars were zooming past at alarming speeds. I told myself that probably a handsome man will slow down for me when I flash or one of those expensive jeeps that do not want to be jammed will slow down when I make a move. 15 minutes past. To my disappointment, neither male nor female, handsome or agbero, jeep or moto, okada or bicycle stopped for me. I was still flashing and trafficating.

I spotted a tanker driver coming with high speed. I immediately stopped flashing and trafficating so he would not know I was interested in entering the expressway. Quickly I reversed small incase it occurred to him to do what I have known them to do. I prayed for the tanker driver to pass quickly so I could continue my flashing and begging, or wait for the expressway to be free (indeed!).

To my astonishment, the tanker driver stopped and flashed me, indicating that I should go ahead. That is not all; his assistant stopped the cars coming behind them so I could have the road to myself. I quickly took advantage of the opportunity and drove back to my destination joyfully.

Maybe God was trying to tell me to change my thinking. Or maybe He was showing me some things I should not have done…

1) I prejudged. Is there someone who is prejudging like I did? You feel you know so much about this person, this opportunity, this situation, what ever you call it, and as such you do not want to take it? What seems like it is no so good might end up being too good to be true.
2) I withdrew because of what I knew in the past. Is there someone out there, like me, who is afraid to step into the future because of something that happened in the past? It is time to let go, says the spirit of God. A better future is waiting for you.

Like the fruit of the palm kernel, the sweetest part of it is encased within the core of a hard shell that does not look too nice.

My prayer for myself and anyone that is in this position is that the eyes of our understanding be enlightened to see opportunities no matter what our past says, to heed the inner voice of our hearts, and to be ready to move into the great future awaiting us. In Jesus name, Amen.
Bible Reference: 2 Cor 5: 17 (KJV) Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

40 comments:

Afrobabe said...

True...Sometimes prejudging and having a negative attitude affects the outcome of the situation by making it what you actually expect...but when you say with God my own outcome will be different then.....you will be amazed...

this is talking from recent experience..

Rita said...

Afrobabe...please I need to hear more about the recent experience...

~Sirius~ said...

That was me once upon a time, but these day I'm very open minded and I refuse to tag people/situations based on what they mean to me.....

Amen to your prayer.

Anonymous said...

tanker drivers in nigeria are 'fearless'!! :D lol but \god protects us.


no darling..the competition just started..it runs for 12 weeks...till march.

:)r we thinkin of entering the contest??

olusimeon said...

i love ur points...never been one to prejudge...i guess i'll just stick with that...

Rebirth said...

u know ur post brought tears to my eyes....... its so true and its like ur speaking to me......
like i always say, ur post blesses me everytime

Joy Akut said...

lol' my sister and i use the smiling tricks to get into the road too, not 100% reliable but it sure works sometimes...

i'm deeply inspired by this. i try as much as possible not to judge people or situations, although sometimes its our subconcious minds that is set to be judgemental based on past experiences etc.
like seeing a rough thug looking guy somewhere, only to have him help you with a situation all the 'gentlemen' didnt seem fit.

badderchic said...

Nice driver,

never met one, you was lucky girl. lol

ShonaVixen said...

I needed to hear this, thanx Rita!!!

seye said...

Did you ever see one of the posts on my blog where I talked about THE WORST DAY OF MY LIFE? I had a bad experience with a tanker before i gave out my car. My car almost got squashed to pieces. But I have learned to put away the fears of the past and move forward

~ScotchBiscuits~ said...

I like your blog!!!

Azuka said...

My cousin wants to own a big car -- he's expressed some interest in owning a tipper or a tanker, and I always wonder what he sees in them.

And he isn't joking -- he's older than me, so he knows exactly what he's asking for :-)

LG said...

deep'
i luved d message behind d story

The Activist said...

Amen. I have learnt not to prejudge. Seriously, tanker wanna run into ur mom b4 u were born? Hmmm it's a sign of greatness (just kidding). But you are great!

bArOquE said...

RitaMarley, this story has inspired me greatly, apart from the fact that i think you're a very terrible driver,(smashed bumper & side mirrorz???) i try not to judge people so that i dont get judged too

Writefreak said...

So many times, we have a mindset about people or something and an event occurs to teach us a lesson..God uses the little things to teach us big lessons...

I'll have to check myself very well to see if i have any such mindsets.

Thanks, how you doing?

Rita said...

@~Sirius~: Every day, I am learning to be open minded. Maybe I need a few tips from you…

@~Mimi~: Don’t mind them tanker drivers… don’t know what they are “taking”

@Simeone: oh yeah, please stick with no prejudging…I’ve missed opportunities because of that…

@Funms-the rebirth: Awwww….thank God it blesses you and you find the posts timely.

@Fantasy Queen: Let me try the smiling trick then I’d give you feedback…you said something I was thinking about… “sometimes its our subconscious minds that is set to be judgmental…”

@Badderchic: He’s a rare kind…felt more than lucky that day, I did not waste time with the opportunity…

@ShonaVixen: You’re welcome.

@Seye: I guess I missed the post. Will go find it. Kpele.

@ ~ScotchBiscuits~: Thank you.

@Azuka: Pls tell me you’re joking (and he’s joking). Not one more on the road…

Rita said...

@LG: Thank you.

@Standtall: “Sign of greatness…” I’ll hold on to that. Thank you.

@bArOquE: ROTFL, are you judging me?

@Writefreak: I am fine, thanks for asking. I guess God has a wonderful sense of humour. Maybe we may not learn some lessons until we get to understand them from little things…

Buttercup said...

LOL @ 'handsome or agbero'

God does work in mysterious ways..He does the most unusual things..

im very guilty of prejudging and withdrawing..it takes the grace of God not to..

Nefertiti said...

Wow! I loved the spin you put on this, Rita. I feel like I just let church!

Nigerian Drama Queen said...

So true...I have learned the power of words and a positive attitude. Yup, no more prejudging for me either. A big AMENNNNNNNN to your prayer!
Lol@ 'Tankerphobia...'

poeticallytinted said...

Yeah, you've blogged about your tankerphobia before now.

So bye bye to tankerphobia abi? I will try to say bye bye to my xmas-phobia, right after this one. lol

Dee said...

That tanker driver is one in a MILLION! He is indeed very different from the rest!

I have prejudged people and circumstances in the past. I am learning not to anymore.

Thanks for this wonderful piece!

Ms. emmotions said...

ah !
but this is wat we all do most times....i definatly will watch it , goin forward

hi rita,
you can talk to me on ritagirlforreal@yahoo.com
n.ritaa@gmail.com

Rita said...

@Buttercup: My dear, that is what I saw oh! Handsome or agbero, no one had my time.’

@Nefertiti: Thanks dear.

@NigerianDramaQueen: I guess I lacked the positive attitude from the beginning. That would have made some difference, like no withdrawing.

@Poeticallytinted: LOL @ xmas-phobia. Right now, I fear not when I drive beside a tanker.

@Dee!: You’re welcome…

@Ms. Emmotions: Okay, will send you email soon.

Thirty + said...

Definitely a lesson not to forget.

Prejudging and Withdrawing.

Often though it is hard not to, it's a process of unlearning.

bArOquE said...

ah Rita, i'm not judging you oh, but you cant prove me wrong...smashed bumper & side mirrorz?...oga, abeg never buy the new moto yet oh...LMAO

Chris Ogunlowo said...

Tankerphobia - lol. That's a new word!

Lets just say you were lucky.

O'Dee said...

Prejudging never helps.
Whether we prejudge a person or situation.

I always have to make a contious effort not to prejudge.

The Activist said...

Pls do

aloted said...

was totally blessed by this...

Geebee said...

I feel this post is directed at me in particular (and maybe anyone else) especially because of my tendency to prejudge and develop a permanent mentality about certain people and issues. Maybe God is also speaking to me. I learnt a great deal from this, Rita. Kudos to you. Keep it up, sis.

Shubby Doo said...

it good when something happens to shatter our preconceived ideas...it is especially wonderful when we understand that it was the hand of God that has written it as such

Shubby Doo said...

rita please don't play with tanker drivers again o...it is so dangerous...pls

Rita said...

@THIRTY +: I like the way you summarized it.

@bArOquE: You are not helping matters, LOL.

@AlooFar: The dictionary is being updated as days go by… I was indeed more than lucky but the experience helped with the fear.

@OluwaDee: Corpershun! Me too…

@Standtall: Thank you.

@Aloted: Thank God.

@Gbengasile: LOL @ permanent mentality. Thank God you learnt something from this post.

Rita said...

@Shubby Doo: :-) Ok oh...if you say so. I tried some stunts with them today but you sound very serious about my not playing with them so for your sake, I'll stay away...Thank you so much.

Naija Idol said...

i had/hav(nt sure) tankerphobia, lorryphobia, watever u wanna call it. i always let them pass b4 i go across the road cos when i was little my sister told me never to cos if it hit me, ill have a lesser chance of survival. lol.she didnt really know much then..

Anonymous said...

wow...you are really having a hard time with this...


Is it really your driving or the tankers....lol

Im sure you will soon get ova this...dont worry your pretty head so much!!

deola said...

Really, it is wrong to prejudge

Rita said...

@Naija Idol: LOL @ your sister. Did you say she didn’t know much then? She had real insight…

@Kin'shar: ROTFL, no it is not my driving :-) it is the tankers…

@Deola: Wrong? I didn’t know oh… until now…