The missing fourth tyre
(These are the lamentations of three Nigerians, Ade, Pa Julius and Joseph James.)

"I'm over 40 years now but I am not living my dream life. I never thought I'll be like this at this age. I had everything I wanted. My Daddy was a rich cocoa farmer in Nigeria. We both thought that I will inherit his wealth and multiply everything he had but life didn't dance to our tune. He died when I was just 14 and his wives took everything he had leaving nothing for me". Ade sighed. "Dreams, dreams, dreams ... ", he continued, "there is nothing as fake as dreams. I thought it's as simple as it is: I can just imagine things in my head, dream good things about my future, wish myself good and I will have everything I wish but I've learned the truth about life the hard way. And then, I would boast about it before my friends in school. If it works that way, I would have been a worldwide renown multibillionaire. That was my dream when I was 12, to be the youngest richest man in Nigeria by 30". He paused, and said "I don't believe in dreams anymore. That's just it. Dreams don't come true."

"My son, stop disturbing yourself about the issue of this country. Things can never go well in this country again. I remember when we got our independence in 1960; I was in Form 3". Pa Julius narrates to his son's friend, Kelvin. "We were all happy for our dear country and we hoped that Nigeria will be one of the best economies in the world in the nearest years to come. No more British rule and Nigerians will run the affairs of this country by themselves. As school children, we saw a brighter future and a better Nigeria. I personally wanted to be the president of this country". Kelvin smiled and continued starring at him, showing more attention. "Yes, that's what I wanted to be, the President of this country". "But look at me today, I can't even boast of ruling an ordinary ward; my family is shattered because of poverty. Look at Nigeria, where are all our hopes and aspirations for our dear country? Is this the bright future that we foresaw in those days? Where is the buoyant economy we had, the cocoa farms, the palm plantations and the groundnut pyramids, where are they? My son, they are all gone. There is no hope for this country again".

""All's well that ends well", says the great writer, Shakespeare. Life is not well at all for me and it may not end well. Caused be the person that says dreams come true. Life is all about chance. If good things come your way, then life has favoured you, otherwise, your story is not the first. Maybe life is not fair then. All our wishes only die in our head. The rest is the misery of life we face. My story is a typical example. Who could have imagined that I will only be an ordinary school teacher now?" "I, Joseph James, I know who I was". He said with lots of pride and ego. "No, this is not happening". "I was the best student in any class I was from primary one to my university days. I knew more than all my mates even my teachers. That is even small, I set records that nobody has broken in most of the schools I attended; I got countless numbers of prizes, awards, scholarship and recognition all over the country. Like my mentor Isaac Newton, I wanted to be a renowned Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge. I believe so much in him and in myself. But wait". He paused for a few seconds, "Isaac Newton achieved his goal, but why not me? I have the potentials like him. There must be something missing".

Yes. Joseph is absolutely right. He asked the right question to address the situation. Of course, dreams come true. We have great people who conceived their greatness from their childhood. The difference is that they did the right things to achieve their dreams.
Our lives may be filled with different potentials, gifts and talents but that is not sufficient to get us to the place where we desire. This is the Potential energy. It can't get you moving; it is only the energy relative to your position. To get you moving and to reach your desired destination, you need the kinetic energy. This is the energy that gives your potential the drive and the velocity and the momentum to reach the goal. What drives you, what is your inspiration? Many youngsters miss this. They have wrong drive for success; a drive that won't last. To some, the drive is just to be famous and to get wealth; to some is to show to others that they have the potential; to some is for other selfish reasons. These drives only give ambition and this is what these three lamenting men had.
The purpose of a right drive is not for you but for others. It gives vision and passion to affect the lives of people, nation and the world at large; to make life more comfortable for people more than you met it; to live a life-lasting impression in the mind of touched lives. The drive doesn't fade away; it lasts longer. This is the missing fourth tye that most people don't have in their car full of potentials. However, it can only be found in God.

From my blog: http://writemindout..nl/

All ur dreams minus God is vanity. Trust in d Lord with all ur heart. Lean not on ur understanding. In all ur ways acknowledge him. He shall direct ur paths.

explain this better, thanks.

i'm still fuzzy about what exactly you're saying.

tpia@:
explain this better, thanks.

i'm still fuzzy about what exactly you're saying.

The central message is that people have goals, dreams and vision but their motivation, drive, passion and determination determines if they will achieve achieve the goal or not. If they get this wrong, then, the fourth tyre is missing in their car full of goals, potential and ideas. The car is not going anywhere. But we can only find the right drive and motivation for our visions and goals only in God.

May my dreams and that of my fellow nairalanders and Seun Osewa not b killed in Jesus name.Amen.Like if u claim it.