Opinion
The Carnivorous Strategy on the Chessboard of Life
Dr jalarth Uche Opara
Always try to be a very sensitive person whose sense of intuition isn’t blunt. Your creative mind shouldn’t be blunt, and your capacity for reflective thinking should be above average.
Your ability to sense when those around you have turned from friends into enemies, exhibiting disturbing energy that disrupts the camaraderie you once shared, should be sharp. Never hesitate to pull away and move on.
When someone you have been particularly obsessed with, doting on, suddenly becomes a plague you detest terribly, know that a lot has been said about you. If this is a gift, desire to have it and sustain it. It has helped me very well when it mattered most.
Because of this, I practically live beyond the optics of self. I care about what people think of me, but I don’t build my life around it or allow it to affect me. I pay little attention to the validation or invalidation of those around me.
I see through their eyes, their white teeth, their smiling dispositions, their undulating flattery, their skin-deep praises, and appellations to the very intentions of their hearts. This helps me remain focused and not be distracted by the jaundice of such assessments.
I barely listen to things said behind my back, not because I am perfect or above mistakes and reproach not at all. Anybody who lacks the courage to spill my beans before me isn’t worthy of my time being wasted on their cowardly gossip.
In life, try to conquer yourself. Give yourself a disruption that will build a strong emotional, attitudinal, and behavioural censor that will help you validate and invalidate yourself independently.
Nobody has the charisma to censor you correctly more than yourself.
Stop living your life through the optics of public approval or disapproval. You will end up losing your uniqueness, pursuing the emptiness of people’s commendation, criticisms, and massaging.
However good you are, more bad things will be said about you behind your back than good things. Such is the principle of life. Not even Jesus was treated differently.
We are in a race of success, achievement, and self-development. This race is on a board called chess. There are strategies. Some are carnivorous strategies: eat others to get fat and crush others to achieve a very important checkmate for the next level.
At all times, be vigilant. The Church isn’t immune from this game; by the way, that is where the stakes are high and many are wounded and devoured right inside it.
Learn to sit with yourself often and have an unfettered conversation. Learn to daily look yourself in the mirror and see the reflection, through the eyes. Nothing about self would be hidden through these exercises. Until one engages in these often, the chances of being buffeted by the wind of public opinion is certain. Without these exercises, you would certainly be eaten by carnivorous friend-enemies and over ambitious friends on same chess board of life. The scars of those who are victims of this carnivorous strategy are legion. Be vigilant and count and recount before you take delivery.
Jarlath Uche Opara
jarlathuche@gmail.com