Facing previous failures: the ‘NOW’ is what matters most

I trust 2014 finds you well
I just wanna share with you my good news. Today, 09-01-2014, I became a holder of a valid Zimbabwean drivers licence.

It’s been a long time coming and I’ve often ‘quit’ and vowed to not go again for my road test whenever I failed but somehow, the words of one of the guys who examined me would ring loud and clearly ‘it’s ok, we’ll drive you’.    What? After coming so far and invested this much time, effort and money? No ways was I gonna quit!

When I went through today, I dint even expect to get it! I was late for my driving lesson and somehow the car seat was in the wrong place, my mirrors where not in the best position and all that jazz. I somehow managed to keep breathing through it all. I almost snapped at my instructor for making me drive to the depot but somehow, I kept it in.

I tried to reign in all those wayward thoughts and memories about my previous failures but somehow, THIS one time, they dint stop. To say I was nervous, I would lie. I was more anxious to get it over and done with so I could focus on getting the money for the next lessons, booking and car hire. (What a way to think.)

Anyway, it only hit me during my second encounter with ‘maDrum’ that I was actually doing this! I could literally picture my disc from that point on! And that was just the encouragement I needed. I quickly collected myself and began to work on the task at hand, one bit at a time. The funniest thing though is that ‘paChuru’ (aka Hill) start, my mind went blank. I literally stopped thinking and I heard my instructor seated in the passenger seat taking me through it! I was just doing what it is he was telling me and somehow that got me through it!! Of course, I was alone in that vehicle but I know that I wouldn’t have gone through it had I not recalled everything I had been learning all those months before! (Yes, it took me that long, almost a year, to be exact- I like being sure, hey)

Anyway,  the rest was ‘a breeze’ if you neglect to consider my occasional and frequent release of pent up breath. I tend to hold my breath when I’m tense or anxious. I also had developed a way to make it work for me (I’d take a deep breath when I started the car in the first gear and slowly release it-the breath- as I eased into the road, once out of breath, id then know that my car needed to breath, too, so I’d have to change up to gear two! Practical, right? I’ve learned to work with my flaws.)

I know that someone could be wondering why someone this ‘old’ would bother share about this! Well, for starters, I want someone to know that it’s never too late to achieve somethin that you want, despite your age. Secondly, as long as you’re willing to try again, it is possible to succeed but as long as you have given up, you have failed!

Thirdly, learn from each mistake you make, correct it and master the right thing. (I used to be complacent pamaDrum during practice because I would always navigate and maneuver myself in and out safely but it was the one point I’d fail during the road test!) I would then mentally log in the point I failed and make sure that the next time I dint fail there.

Forthly, each time you face the point you fell before, don’t allow the previous times of falling to discourage you. Remember that it’s the now that matters most.  Fifthly, it doesn’t matter how far behind you are in keeping up with milestones, once you cross a certain point/achieve a certain milestone, celebrate it! Make a huge noise about it! Write a blog about it! Paint the town red! What matters is that you’ve crossed the finish line in that particular race and that was a darn good one!

Lastly, give a mighty shout to the Lord who holds your hand through all tears and triumphs!