I have been blessed with the most amazing friends ever and each day, I learn a thing or two from them. One of my greatest inspirations is Tope. Now, Tope is a beautiful happy and chirpy young lady who is deaf in both ears. I mean she can’t really hear unless she has her hearing aid on.
The day I learnt she had this “unique power” as I choose to call it and not disability is not one I think I can forget in a hurry.
I had travelled for a Business Analyst conference in the states last summer and there I met these amazing colleagues now friends. As part of our training, we had extracurricular activities, one of which was a hiking exercise. Though optional, we decided to go for it given our adventurous spirits. After all, “Naija no dey carry last,” abi?(as we commonly say in our vernacular language)
This task was to help us creatively think our way out of difficult business situations using practical examples, hence, the hiking trip. We were divided into groups and given a map to guide us to the finish point. We were expected to skillfully navigate all the obstacles deliberately put on the path to the terminus.
Jenna, our coach had given us strict instructions including the rules and regulations to guide us, most important was the “stick together” part so none of us would get lost. As first timers, we were pretty excited and scared. Although we had been friends for the shortest time, the way we bonded, one would think we had known each other since forever.
Among these great friends was Tope… Aside being fun, she has one of the most interesting personalities I had ever known. She was really brave and smart and in the short time I had known her, I knew she was a born leader. Although Nigerian, she had spent a greater part of her young adulthood in the states and had adapted so well.
As our group of five hiked our way through the mountains, we were having the most fun and had successfully scaled through most of the obstacles we encountered until we reached the last one — the rope bridge.
The instruction said to cross to the terminus using the rope bridge or the cable cars. Most of us were already tired and we figured it would be easier to use the ropeway transport. I happily went with the decision of the majority because apart from it being the easier choice, I HATE HEIGHTS. It was bad enough I was already high above the ground in this cable car, to use a shaky bridge was totally out of it for me but not for Tope.
She wasn’t one to pick the easy way so she opted for the bridge. We were scared she was going to fall and kept shouting for her to come enter the cable car but she paid us no mind and started on her way to the terminus. As the cable started moving, we watched her with fear in our hearts praying she wouldn’t fall but my dear lady couldn’t be bothered. She just kept going on her merry way.
By the time we reached the final point, Tope was already there. We were shocked. How come?
Turned out the rope bridge was not as long as we had seen it and after a couple of steps, you come to solid ground which was a short cut to the finish point but the cable car had to follow a longer route to get to the terminus.
We were amazed. Personally, I felt a little bit of shame for not attempting to overcome my fear but instead I took the easy way out. When Tope was asked why she chose the rope bridge rather than the cable car, she said she didn’t hear us screaming to her to enter the cable car. She couldn’t hear because she mistakenly turned down the volume on her hearing aid.
She thought we were cheering her on. It wasn’t until she got to the terminus that she realised she couldn’t hear a thing that was said and checked her hearing aid to find the volume low. She was given a star for her courage, bravery and the ability to face her fears too in addition to winning the award of the best team lead.
I learnt one major lesson from this hiking exercise — You would go far in life if your mind had a selective hearing mechanism. When you turn a deaf ear to people’s criticisms and negativities and you follow your heart, you would accomplish a whole lot of things. Listening to demoralising comments makes you feel depressed and inadequate but when you believe in yourself and see only positivity in your life, nothing can hold you down.