On Wednesday (Aug 7, 2013), I was working on one of Appswheels project; developing an information portal which is aimed at providing valuable information to the young and old. I stayed up late into the night with a resolve of working all night. At some point, my eyes became heavy and my laptop too much load for my laps to bear. Will I go against my resolve? I made for the bathroom, washed my face with a bowl of water.

I continued my work………. only to wake by 6:00am and find that nature took it course. I stole a glance at the power indicator on my laptops adapter; it was great to know that PHCN had not “seized” power in their usual fashion. I hurried to the bathroom, freshened up and settled for the day’s work.

I had just settled to work when I heard a knock at the door. Who could that be? I thought. It was Tunji. My first contact with Tunji was at a cybercafé at No. 46 Eric Moore Surulere Lagos. We meet at the café occasionally but rarely exchanged greetings.

One day, it happened that I mistakenly sat on my laptop and broke the screen. I was narrating my ordeal to one of the operators at the café when Tunji cut into my speech saying, “Excuse me, you mean you broke your laptops screen with your bumbum?” we laughed over it and became friends afterwards.

Tunji greeted me with “Happy holiday” that reminded me that Thursday and Friday was set aside to mark the sallah celebrations. I returned his greetings with, “what is Happy about the holiday and what Holi is in the day?”

The memories I have about holidays are those of my childhood. One to remember was my visit to Lagos state in 1993 during the long vacations. Visits to the bar beach, horse ride, sights of airplane made the holiday most memorable. Little wonder, I scored 18/20 in my English assignment which was an essay about how I spent the last holiday. It was my highest score from Mrs Bamidele my class teacher. She was most difficult to please in essay writings. There were rumours that she grew up in London. She transfers her command of English language to her Ink whenever she marked our essays. She must have enjoyed my essay. I captured all the sights and sound of the holiday, the names of towns and villages we journeyed through before arriving Lagos, I included an account of the alligator killed by my uncle; how my cousins and I sang and danced around it.

Many adults (including me) have lost the meaning and essence of holidays, except for employees who see it as an opportunity to stay away from their monotonous and routine work. My reflection on how we “busy” our lifes and forget to live, love and show care to one another inspired this piece.

How do I explain the fact that I have over 1000 contacts on my phone but in touch with less than 30 of them? For many, we have not exchanged text messages in years needless to say call one another. The song we sing is “Busy”, Busy, Busy, Busy. We forget that we are created to live in communion and not in isolation. Acts of “Me, Myself and I”, “I have my own problems”, “we were not born together”, “I have my own life to live” accounts for the decay, rot we find in the society.

I don’t care what the word BUSY means in a dictionary. To me, it is a tool in the hands of the devil, with it, he robs people of their life, build bridges and create divide amongst families, in relationships.
• Why did you not attend your friends, relative wedding…………… You were busy
• Why have you not paid a visit to your aged parent…………. You have been busy
• Why did you not go to church………………Your hands are full….. busy
• Why have you not gone for medical checkup in years……………….No time Busy
• Why have you not sent money to your younger siblings ……………..No time, busy busy busy
• Why have you not liked Appswheels page (www.facebook.com/appswheel)...... You are busy
The list is endless

Let me remind “us” that when death comes knocking it will not take busy for an excuse. Only then we are reminded about the emptiness and vainness of life. In its true sense, life is not vain, the way we live life makes it.
When next you have a holiday, take some time to smell life’s roses. Take your mind off your bank accounts and the other things you worry about. Find a reason to laugh. Visit your aged parents, relatives.

If you own a dictionary, do share the meaning of “Holiday” with me. I have just shared mine with you. My dictionary is Appswheel dictionary. To find any word with it, simply dial 07052193183. I hope you had a good read.
Take some time out of your busy day to like Appswheels page. www.facebook.com/Appswheel.