written by Evrard Gatana
Story I.
Your Bravery, Your Ability
One morning, while lying in bed before starting my day, I took my usual five minutes for meditation. During this time, a profound realization struct me: small actions, accumulated over time, can lead to something truly significant. I quickly reached for my pen and cherished notebook to capture this inspiring insight. Recently, I began applying this concept daily, and it has now become a habit through all four steps. I will discuss this process in detail in my book.
The previous night, I had watched a documentary on Netflix about an African queen Nzinga, who fiercely resisted portuguese colonization in Angola. Nzinga's leadership led to the defeat of more than a thousand slavery and exemplified her unwavering dedication to freeing her people from colonial oppression. her sacrifices and relentless efforts in the fight against slavery are a testament of her heroism.
Throughout history, many african leaders have fought valiantly to end the slave trade and secure freedom for their people. These stories remind us of our own potential to overcome challenges and make a difference.
So why am I sharing this? we all possess an inner strength capable of transforming our discomfort into empowerment. Our abilities are boundless, not merely because of the power held by individuals like queen Nzinga, but due to their unyielding commitment and passion. Her story illustrates that true heroism comes from dedication and a drive to protect and uplift others.
Remember, achieving your dreams takes discipline, but the satisfaction that follows is immensely rewarding. Stay positive and dream beyond your limitations.
Story II.
Measuring Your Season
After finishing work, I went for an evening walk. When I returned, I sat on the veranda to relax, enjoying the cool breeze. In front of the house, a beautiful tree caught my eye, its leaves preparing to fall. The crisp air signaled that autumn had arrived, and soon winter would follow.
This moment made me reflect on the past summer months when the trees were full of life. Each season, whether it’s summer or fall, has its own unique beauty. It reminded me of the natural cycles of life, how everything, including our own lives, passes through different seasons.
I was reminded of the words of King Solomon in Ecclesiastes: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.”
I also thought about how ancient civilizations, like the Egyptians, measured time by the movement of shadows long before clocks existed. They used tall obelisks to cast shadows and divide the day into hours, and later invented the merkhet to track time at night by the stars. Across cultures, people learned to measure time and plan their lives according to the seasons.
In the same way, we need to recognize our own personal seasons. Each of us has a time to sow and a time to reap. Don’t compare your journey to others or wish to be in someone else’s season. Focus on your own path, and your harvest will come in its time.
Understand your season. Know what you want to achieve, and work towards it at the right moment.
Stay calm and mindful of your season.
Story III
Shaped by Struggles
As I glanced to my side, my eyes caught a glimpse of a cracked wooden step on the staircase. For a moment, I paused, instinctively stepping back, uncertain if it could bear my weight. Then, a thought stirred within me. That wood, once part of a tall, sturdy tree, had been cut down, shaped, and crafted into something entirely new—a stair designed with a purpose.
This thought took me back to my childhood, watching people cut down trees by hand. It was a slow, labor-intensive process. I can still remember the sharp sound of the saw biting through the wood. Back then, before machines took over, it took real energy and persistence to fell a tree and shape it into something useful. Just like that tree, we all go through a process of transformation. Our experiences, whether painful or triumphant, carve us into the people we are meant to become.
Throughout history, human progress has often mirrored this process. Think of the great inventors like Thomas Edison. He faced countless failures before he was ultimately compelled to awaken the hidden genius that lay dormant within his mind. His story has become a symbol of perseverance, reminding us that even repeated setbacks can lead to great achievements. His light bulb didn’t just illuminate rooms—it lit up the darkness in a way no one thought possible.
In the same way, our own journeys are filled with challenges and failures. Like wood being shaped into a stair, or Edison’s persistent efforts, we are shaped by our struggles and triumphs. These experiences refine us, moving us closer to our potential, even when we feel cracked or worn down.
Just like the wooden stair and Edison's invention, we all have a purpose. We weren’t meant to simply admire the successes of others; we are designed to pursue our own dreams, to carve out our own path. Embracing the difficulties along the way only makes us stronger and more aligned with who we are meant to be.
So, the next time you stumble upon a crack—whether in a staircase or in your own life—remember that it's just part of the shaping process. You are being crafted into something greater, something with purpose, just like the wood from that tree.
Story IV
Beauty in Adversity
One evening, my friend and I went for a walk in a picturesque modern village. The air was cool, and the streets were lined with homes bathed in soft, radiant light. Each house glowed like a jewel, but as we continued walking, one home caught my eye—not because it was the largest or the most expensive, but because of the love and care that radiated from it.
This house wasn't about grandeur. It was about passion. The way the lights were arranged, blending seamlessly with the surrounding nature, was breathtaking. The simple beauty of it taught me an important lesson: it's not always about having endless resources to create something beautiful. Sometimes, all it takes is putting your heart and soul into what you do.
This reminded me of a story from the early 1900s in Central East Africa, when thousands of refugees fled from Rwanda to Burundi. The leaders at that time banished them to a remote, dangerous forest far from the city, where the only inhabitants were wild animals and deadly insects. Survival seemed impossible. Yet, despite the odds, these refugees—children, women, and the elderly—chose to live.
They cut down trees, built homes, and hunted for food. Slowly, what started as a struggle for survival became the foundation of a small village. They cleared the land and nurtured it into something thriving and beautiful. The leaders, shocked by their resilience, eventually forced them out, fearing the growing community might one day challenge their power.
This story is a powerful reminder that beauty and success don’t always come from perfect conditions. Often, it’s the challenges that push us to create something meaningful. What makes you hesitate to move towards your goals? Whatever it is, remember this: trust the process, trust history, and, if nothing else, trust yourself. Each journey—whether filled with tears, sweat, or struggle—can end with joy if you embrace it fully.
Story V
The Star’s Whisper
Down sat beneath the large oak tree, sipping his coffee slowly as the warm breeze swirled around him. His heart was heavy with sadness, but he forced a smile, trying to hide his pain. In the quiet air, a beautiful voice drifted by, like a distant memory. It stirred something deep within him, reminding him of something he had lost but couldn’t forget. His eyes followed the sound, then wandered up to the evening sky, where a single star shone brightly, twinkling between the clouds. He took another sip of coffee and placed the cup down, his thoughts spiraling.
The star, glowing with a strange brightness, captured his attention. He couldn’t look away, feeling both sadness and curiosity. What was it about that voice? And why did the star seem to call out to him?
Just then, his daughter came running, her laughter pulling him from his thoughts. She wanted to play, and as her father, he couldn’t say no. They kicked a small ball back and forth, but even as he played with her, his mind was elsewhere. His heart felt distant, like it was lost up in the stars. After a while, his daughter got tired, kissed him goodnight, and went inside to her mother. Alone again, Down returned to his spot under the tree, his eyes drawn once more to the shining star.
He kept staring, drawn in by its blinking light. With each moment, it seemed to shine brighter, as if trying to tell him something. He didn’t fully understand, but he felt something shift inside him. He decided to follow the star, to escape his pain and confusion, even if just for a little while. In his heart, he made the choice to journey to that star.
In his mind, he saw himself traveling through the vastness of space until he arrived at a glowing gate. The gate shimmered with words like humility, love, and mercy. Beyond it was a kingdom filled with dazzling jewels and treasures of every kind. At the center stood a figure, the leader named Jack, who welcomed him with a kind smile.
“We only allow those who embody one of these virtues to enter,” Jack explained gently. “The greatest gift we can offer isn’t found here, but in returning home and planting the seed of these values in your own life.”
Down listened carefully, feeling the meaning of Jack’s words. Yet, when he tried to enter, something stopped him. Jack’s smile was understanding but firm. Down wasn’t ready. He lacked one of the core values needed to live a truly happy life. The kingdom’s treasures weren’t his to claim, not yet.
In an instant, Down was back under the oak tree, feeling the familiar weight of the world on his shoulders. But something had changed. He now realized that peace and happiness weren’t found in faraway stars or treasure-filled kingdoms. They were already within him, waiting to grow. The values he sought weren’t external—they were seeds inside him, needing only time and care to flourish.
He looked up at the star once more, and this time, his smile came naturally. He had found his path. Now, all that was left was to walk it.
Story VI
The Power of Adaptability
It was a stormy evening, the kind where the rain falls hard, and the wind seems to howl at the world. I stood by the window, watching as the storm raged outside, my fingers touching the cold glass. Every flash of lightning lit up the sky, and the thunder that followed shook the house. The wind beat against the walls, and for a moment, I felt small in the face of it all—just like everything outside.
As I looked out, my eyes caught the sight of two trees battling the storm. One was a young sapling, thin and fragile. The wind pushed it from side to side, making it bend deeply. But it didn’t break. No matter how hard the wind blew, the sapling swayed back and forth, always bouncing back to its place once the gusts calmed.
Not far from the sapling stood a massive oak tree, tall and proud, with thick branches that stretched wide. The oak looked strong and unmovable, the kind of tree that seemed like it could withstand anything. But as the storm intensified, something strange happened. While the sapling kept bending and recovering, the oak stood firm, but its branches shook under the pressure. The wind pushed harder, and then, with a loud crack, one of the oak’s heavy branches broke off and crashed to the ground.
At that moment, something clicked in my mind. I realized that life is a lot like this storm. We often believe that being strong means never bending, like that oak tree—standing tall no matter what. But when life throws challenges our way—stress, hardship, unexpected problems—being too rigid can cause us to break under the pressure. That oak, for all its strength, couldn’t handle the storm. But the sapling, small and flexible, survived because it bent with the wind rather than fighting it.
In real life, I’ve faced moments where I tried to stand firm, refusing to adjust to the difficulties around me. I thought resisting was the way to show strength. But over time, I learned that this kind of resistance only makes things harder. It’s like holding onto anger, fear, or pain too tightly—it doesn’t help, and eventually, we snap under the weight of it all.
For example, I remember a time when I was dealing with a tough job situation. Things kept piling up, and I felt overwhelmed. Instead of asking for help or taking a step back to breathe, I kept pushing through, thinking I had to be strong. But eventually, I reached my breaking point, just like that oak tree’s branch. I realized too late that true strength doesn’t come from resisting everything—it comes from knowing when to be flexible, to go with the flow, and to adjust when life gets tough.
Just like the sapling in the storm, we need to learn how to bend with life’s challenges without losing ourselves. When we allow ourselves to adapt, we don’t break. Instead, we become stronger, better able to handle whatever comes our way.
As I stood there, watching the storm continue outside, I felt a calm settle over me. The wind still howled, the rain still poured, but inside, I understood something important: strength isn’t about always standing tall. It’s about knowing when to bend, when to let go, and trusting that, like the sapling, we’ll stand tall again once the storm passes.
In life, storms will come—some small, some fierce—but they will pass. And when they do, it’s not how unyielding we were that matters; it’s how we learned to move through them. The oak may be strong, but the sapling survives, bending without breaking and coming out the other side even stronger. That’s the lesson I took with me: it’s not about fighting the storm, but learning how to bend and rise again, whole and unbroken, when the storm is over.
Story VII
A Journey of Hope
While working downtown one day, I felt a sharp reminder from my stomach—it was time to eat. I decided to find something to fill me up, so I headed to a nearby restaurant and placed my order. As I waited, my thoughts began to drift. A young boy approached my table to serve me. He was full of energy, moving quickly to get everything just right. After he left, I noticed an older woman working alongside him. It made me stop and think about life—how we start working from such a young age and continue until we are old and tired. It made me wonder how people make choices about their future, how they decide what path to follow in life.
As I reflected on this, A story of perseverance and optimism came to mind. It’s the story of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. In a small African village suffering from drought, where hope seemed as scarce as water, a young boy named William Kamkwamba dared to dream. His village was withering away, and many believed nothing could be done to save it. Even William’s parents thought his dream of building a windmill to generate electricity and pump water was impossible. They thought he was wasting his time.
But despite the doubt and the struggle, William refused to give up. He worked tirelessly, learning from books and scraps of material, determined to make his windmill a reality. Even when the world seemed to be against him, he pushed forward. And through his persistence and hard work, William succeeded. His windmill brought water and life back to his village, changing everything.
William’s story is not just about one boy’s achievement; it’s about the power of persistence. It shows us the strength of hope in the face of overwhelming odds. Sometimes, the world doesn’t immediately reward our efforts, but the act of trying, of believing in something greater, plants seeds for the future.
Life, like William's journey, is full of moments where the outcome is uncertain. Some people work hard their whole lives and may never see the results they hoped for, while others may succeed quickly. But that’s not the point. The value is in the effort, in the decision to keep going even when it feels like there’s no progress. We don’t always work just for ourselves. Sometimes, the rewards come later—maybe for our children or for those who come after us. We plant seeds today with the hope that one day, they will grow, even if we aren’t the ones to harvest them.
Watching the people around me, rushing through life, I realized that life is a constant cycle of giving and receiving. Some days, we are the ones moving forward, barely noticing those around us. Other days, we might be the ones waiting, hoping for someone to notice us. But no matter where we are, the lesson is always the same: keep going, keep believing.
William’s story teaches us, and life constantly reminds us, that persistence shapes who we are. Even when the rewards aren’t immediate, even when setbacks cloud our vision, something inside us grows stronger with every step we take.
So, I remind myself, and you, that life is full of lessons. Sometimes, we sit still and watch the world rush by. Other times, we are the ones chasing our goals. But in either case, we must hold on to hope, because change will come. Often, the most beautiful changes happen when we least expect them. Keep moving forward, even when the path isn’t clear. Keep planting seeds of hope, even when the ground seems dry. You never know what might bloom.
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