KEEP PACE AT ALL FRONTS: HOW?

 Imagine for a moment you are at a strategic Command Centre in a war zone.

Unlike what goes on at movies this is real beyond imagination.  It is so real. The reality plays and lingers after years like unforgettable rhymes of early school years. What you hear is what you see. Information streaming are from different sectors. Pursuits, advance and tactical maneuvers are occurring at breath taking speed. You are inundated by regular voice charge “Keep pace”, ” Alert ” and “Catch up”. Like early morning bell resonating and un-relenting so these words hit.

The import of the word “pace” at this command setting takes a new meaning. The Command Centre is persistently calling all sectors to keep pace. Emphasis on keeping pace seems to be pushing everyone even everything in the control room. Mind boggling isn’t it. Yet, all the sectors keep pace by pushing.

As it happens to everyone, sometimes there is a drift even in sensible thoughts. Instead of being absorbed in it, the mind unwittingly strays.  Have you discovered it could be a subtle way that the mind works, perhaps, stretching a phenomenon for appreciation?

You begin to see the irrationality of war evident in wanton destruction of lives and properties. Instability undermines everything in a war zone. It cripples not just humanity but everything. Yet, someone says war is a policy by other means. Have you wondered that this definition would have lost some meaning in many undefined wars that are fought these days?  Some definitions carry as baggage rationale off the realms of rationality!  Is it not sane not to bother ourselves by dossiers of rationalization. It is in rationalization you see multiplicity of mankind’s wisdom, folly and stupidity. Sometimes it devolves to unending game. Who can stop it?

Not to be engulfed, thought now proceeds to lives of people, men and women outside the literal war front. Many are keeping pace in their individual lives. If war commanders train, indoctrinate their armies to keep pace at all sectors with controls, why can’t others in a much more calmer atmosphere keep pace. Life itself looks like having many sectors requiring attention all the time. Do you realize a bit of laxity could affect a sector or imperil the whole sectors? It is like a run that starts in a branch of a bank? What happens when the same news filters to other branches of the bank? Stampede!

It seems natural from birth that we keep pace. From primary school one is helped to cope with many subjects. In secondary school, many subjects are taught and it is expected that all subjects are passed. Indeed, some do pass these subjects with distinction. Even in this era of focus , many things can be handled decently and almost at the same time like those at the war sectors ensuring and keeping pace as key to advance, winning and survival.

Now let us return to ourselves again. Life is a divided unity –  physical, spiritual, socio-economic and other important pages requiring attention. At some points an aspect may be considered a front burner. Really, that could be true. But other aspects may be beeping. Do we suppress them by instinct? Or are we like one putting off an alarm system that supposed to wake or notch one to order? Think about this if not for anything but perhaps, some of its irredeemable consequences.

Some have cared so much for the physical that they left the spiritual. Call it by the name that fits your fancy. (psychological, other worldly). They later find out that not keeping pace here has been an error of good judgement.

It is like the man who used all his years to forget humanity but only remembers it at very old age, worse still on a dead bed. Something could still be done for humanity at this time. “Never to late” some may say. That could be his time. But, take a pause. Is riding a power bike very interesting and  attractive at 90? No answers please. My old folks used to say that if ones hobby is to condemn what is done early even at the proper time, then one should do away with ones first son at birth” Not likely.

Take a case of inordinate devotion to career being flaunted by the media in some parts of the world and easily bought without bargain elsewhere. Play back historical tapes. What do you hear? Adjustment is important. While some sectors may be important at some point in life, do not forget other sectors. The major could fail and fall back could be on the seemingly neglected sectors. It quickly sends a recall of the boom days in banking in one West African country. Were you a player? How did you play? Reflect and tell the story to millennials. It could be helpful to drive home some points. Note the importance of keeping pace at all sectors even though key ones are on focus.

Keeping pace? The picture here does tell  a story. What passed through here? What kind of pace? Was it noisy? Does it need to be like the pace at the Command Centre? What lessons? We leave this to you.

There is the need to keep pace it in all aspects of life. Over time it can give real meaning. Neglect has consequences. Thoughtlessness and excuse are not good friends to one keeping pace at all fronts of life. Empower yourself to keep pace, of course, in something of importance and lasting value.