“When will you ever get it?” “Sometimes I fail to understand why people cannot see it.” My uncle kept on flooding me with all sorts of life principles and strategies for navigating through life. “I am old now, and I am not going to be as active as I used to.” “Jack,” he looked at me through his spectacles and posed for a moment to breathe, then he continued, “you have to come to the realisation that life is bigger than the courtroom.” “In fact, be careful; you may be out here solving other people’s problems while your own remain unsolved.”

As I moved out of the office, my mind kept thinking about the statement about life being bigger than the courtroom. It is true that most often, as individuals, especially when you have invested in education, the office or the job tends to occupy most of our lives, such that the rest of the world comes to a stop. Just the way some of us who were born and raised in Lusaka tend to think that there is no life outside the green city. Shockingly enough, there is more life out there than in LSK.

Life is bigger. This is one gift that should be embraced with grace. When there is an opportunity to go out there and experience your full potential, why not? In my earlier life, I had obviously restricted my life to the script that my parents kind of wrote for me. I am so grateful for their guidance and mentorship; that is what makes me me. However, as I grow into my own person, I realise that there may be a need for me to venture out of their script so as to attain my full potential.

I am learning that it is better to approach life with an open mind. That way, you will be able to see the different opportunities that dangle as we navigate through life. One does not want to reach a point of regret for not having tried or for having wasted time delaying making a decision. Time waits for no one. Be flexible; make your bed, and when you do, lie in it. After all, the truth of the matter is that you owe it only to the one who gave it to you.

While it is easy to talk about dreaming and following your plan through, the actual walking through is not easy. You will need to be ready for the dynamics of life to kick in at some point. Bad investments, theft, economic and political influences, nature, and a lot of other factors may tend to move you away from the target. That, however, does not mean that you stop aiming for what you want to achieve. Mind you, there is more to life than what your eye can see, and sometimes all you need is someone to change the environment, weather the storm, or just change the team. Once you have the opportunity to stand on a different pedestal, the view will be seen from a different angle.

I am so grateful I retired at my age. I do not think that my heart could have taken some of the things I have had to go through. The lessons learned are so rewarding. I now see how life is bigger than the lump sum. Maybe if you are 70 years old, the lump sum payment is not enough to see you through life. It may be the first few years after retiring, but not for long, especially if you have not properly invested. The monthly pension is just some pocket money to buy some talk time on the phone and a few groceries. It is therefore not wise to wait until the last minute to start planning how you will live your life once the deployment phase expires.

Open-mindedness will mean having to learn from others how they are doing things, either in their professions or circles. You may never know what skill is embedded in you. There is nothing that stops a teacher from learning how to keep chickens or a doctor from learning how to drive a taxi. While degrees and PHDs are money-earners, life skills can be so rewarding and fulfilling.

I have taken time to just study the old guys in the family. It is funny how they have all parked their qualifications. Moved back to speaking vernacular full time. They are so involved in the traditions and customs. They are so fulfilled with doing life that it makes real sense away from books and papers, yet they are so successful. Do not stop living; spread your wings and allow yourself to reach your full potential. If not, you will deprive the world of access to your purpose for existence.

The author is a retired officer of the Zambia Airforce and an Advocate. He can be reached via email: [email protected] or Whatsapp: +260 97 9165574