VICTORY REDEFINED.

Some months ago, a friend informed me about a writing competition which I later participated in. After a short period of time, my friend called me and in the course of our discussion, I jokingly told him I had won the competition. He said I was joking because he had checked to know who the winner was even before he called me. Then, he began to sympathize with me telling me things like, "don't worry, you'll win the next one" and stuffs like that just so I don't feel bad.

As he was saying all that I didn't want to feel bad so I quickly thought of what to tell him to kill the thought of self pity that was quickly building up in me.

Gbam! I got the perfect and most appropriate sentence and I told him not to worry because I'd won already. He was confused on what I meant so I went further and said, "I've gotten the victory because I have the positive and right attitude to failure."

My friend was silent for a while and afterwards, he sighed deeply. I could bet that he was surprised at what I'd said. I was certain that he didn't expect that from me. However, he told me that he was happy with my resolution and that he understood what I meant.

I wouldn't stop trying and get myself depressed just because I failed once. Hell no! Why would I when Victory has been redefined by me? Why would I when it's in my hands to decide what I want to believe?

The Oxford Learners Advanced Dictionary defines Victory as, "Success in a game, competition, etc." Nonetheless, I've got good news for you. I have an addendum to this definition.

"Victory is obtained and defined in positive attitudes to failure or defeat."

Yes, I'd won according to me but I failed according to my friend and the whole World. And so what?

I'll tell you something. It doesn't matter what they think or had thought about me or you. The condition of my heart and mind, my believe or anchor in difficult times and what I tell myself is what counts. In a nutshell, if I tell myself that I've failed, that's what it'll be and if I tell myself that I've won or I'll still win or my best is yet to come, that is how it will be.

Therefore, what you tell yourself or believe in is very important, even more than victory itself; your belief will earn you victory or defeat.

Have you failed a course this year? Were you amongst those whose story or poem were rejected as a result of mediocrity? Did you fail that subject so badly that you had to repeat? Were you denied that job opportunity for no just cause you could think of? Recount those past defeat for good this minute.

See you as a Victor despite everything. Yes, you are a Victor since you mustered the courage to have a rethink and find out for yourself where you got it wrong.
You are a Victor for being resilient enough to try again.
For being alive and not committing murder because you failed is enough proof that you are a Victor already.

I'm not going to promise you success in everything you'll do this year though I wish you that. However, I'm offering you a standard by which you would measure your Victory such that when you fail, you'll remind yourself that Victory has been redefined.

If only you can have the right attitude to these failures, then you are victorious. And remember, the only way to emerge victorious is when you don't quit after you fail. Be bullheaded or strong headed when it comes to winning and you shall win.

As you've step into this year, look back at all those past mistakes and carry yourself as a Victor because that's what you are.

Walk victoriously, talk victoriously, live victoriously and you'll be a Victor!

#victoryredefined
#positiveattitudefortheyear
#mynewyearpackageforyou

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See you at the top!

LET US BURN OUR SHIPS

We have forsaken
And we've been forsaken.
Day and night,
We've toiled despite our ailing sight
Sleep has eluded our eyes.
The sea breeze has made our skin as cold as ice.

We've missed the kisses from family,
Sailing the dark sea without any ally.
The insatiable hunger for the caress of their soothing words
Has tied up our emotions as though with cords
Oh! How sad is the remembrance of their reddened eye
And our feeble hands, waving bye!

Through the turbulent waves we've sailed,
And now our eyes are bloodshot because we've wailed.
On this dark and scary sea,
We've journeyed nonetheless with undying zeal
We've been blind to the sharks, the whales and the mighty crocodiles
And so much more of the enemies' wiles.

Determination, it was that drove us to the riverbank.
With faith and hope, our doubts shrank.
Courage made us scale through
Even when in the dark we couldn't see through.
Our triumphant chants tied us in unity.
Thank God, we've not paddled at all in futility!

Had we borne our grieves in vain?
After all these, shouldn't we gain?
We've not deserted our loved ones for frivolities
Neither did we abandon our homes for the fun of it
Truth is, in this peregrination of success, there's no fun at all!
Let's all answer to Clarion's call!

We've got to gain from each pain
For that is just sane!
The sweet, refreshing thought of victory should be our victual
And if we don't waver, we can make this 'dream' actual
For the sake of our young ones and posterity, let's evacuate our ships.
If we must make success, let's leave our comfort zones and burn our ships.

By Jubilee Adaeze Azubike

DEATH: THE ONLY WAY

Must I till the soil until I tire?
For a penny, must I dig my hands deep into the mire?
Must I always work to get my heart's desire?
Like others, don't I deserve to be called sire?

Must I bear the brunt of another man's tongue
For Kobo and Naira, just to live long?
On my sagging shoulders, must I carry a truck full of bricks
Just so I can buy another wick?

Must I do someone else's dishes, laundry or even mow the grasses
Just so I can dish out my soup in broken glasses?
Must I continue to be servile
And work harder because I'm agile?

Must I be overly meticulous in cutting the silk and purple
Just so I can sew the pieces together and look like one of 'the people'?
Must I sit in expectation and wait to receive
Such that when I'm forbidden I refuse to forgive?

It doesn't have to be work, work, work all the time
Such that idleness becomes a crime
There is another way in which nobody has a say
And death, is that only way!

By Jubilee Adaeze Azubike