Peterson of Petersburg and His Careless Parents
Originally, everything has a comeback. You may be asking or deliberating what all of this is about. Hold on and envision it this way. Imagine you have a house built with many glass windows. Would you allow your kids to throw stones at your house? And tell me, will you be happy if anyone breaks your window? No, you will not be happy, right?
So then, answer me. How would you expect another person to be happy if a stranger walks into their home and takes what belongs to the owner of that house? The Landlord in question. This is the story of a lazy boy who did not like working but rather taking and destroying what belongs to others.
Peterson was born in Petersburg. A young, handsome, gentle boy whom everyone loved when he was young. But as time went on and by, the little boy changed when he got to fifteen. At his young age, everyone saw him as someone who had a bright future, but we cannot trust people forever, right? And to let you know, we cannot blame him for sure that he became a thief, it was the upbringing at home, and moreover, no human is perfect on beloved Mother Earth.
Peterson's father, Mr.Carter, everyone in the community knew this man was lazy and did not want to approach or advise him. He would, in his own unjustified wisdom, throw stones and curse at people who try to correct him. Mrs. Kate, Peterson's mother, was the only one who had time for her beloved boy, giving him attention with high hopes that he would become better one day. But surprisingly, at age fifteen, everything seemed to go sideways for Mrs. Kate. Dear parents, this part of the story should tell you how important it is to have a peaceful home and be a responsible parent.
When he was very young, his mother would leave him in the care of his dad and leave home for work. Imagine leaving your child in the hands of a man who does not like taking responsibility. This was the start of Peterson's arrogance and stubbornness. At home, when his dad gets drunk, he gives him no food or even care to engage him, Peterson would go out into the neighbourhood to play. It is normal for every kid, right? But Peterson was not fortunate; he joined a bad company just when he was twelve.
His mom was always away and never had any idea of what her son had been doing when she was not home. Peterson's parent did not care much for his welfare, and that is a very bad habit parents must not exhibit. Because of this, with less attention from parents, Peterson was influenced by friends. It did not last long when he formed a gang. They will wear masks and run into people's homes, take their money, and do away. Little did they know that soon the Feds would come for them.
They had been on their tail for years due to frequent reports about their activities. His Mom had travelled to another state to work when he was thirteen and barely knew if her son was engaged in any bad company and activities. There were times they would walk past neighbors' homes, throw stones at their roofs, and destroy essential items. During one of their activities, it was unfortunate for them, and the Feds picked them up. Today, he is in jail, and his parents live in so much regret. So dear parents and guardians, pay attention to your words before they go wayward.
What Can We Learn From This
This story teaches us several important Lessons.
- Parents must take responsibility for their children's upbringing, and any neglect could open the door to bad influences.
- Also, you should notice from the story that your choices have consequences, and every action you take today shapes your tomorrow.
- Peer pressure is real, but you can say no. True friends don't lead you into trouble.
My final thoughts
Imagine again that beautiful glass house with many windows. Would you allow your children to throw stones a it? No. So why destroy what belongs to others, or worse, destroy your own future? I want to be honest with you, just like those fragile windows, our lives and our reputations are also fragile. Every bad choice you make may not affect you immediately, but eventually.
My next-door neighbor's nineteen-year-old son.
Assume it this way, would you love to plant a seed, expect a
good harvest, and then the harvest turns out bad? No, nobody would ever want to
experience such horrifying moments. To us parents, our children are our seeds, and we always want them to be the best of what we want. But for my neighbor’s
son James, in this beautiful community we live in did not have it that way.
You know, friend, drug abuse among teenagers and young
adults is a canker we experience in our societies lately. It has not only
become a menace in some parts of the world but has also become one of the
biggest challenges that communities face today. Do you know that a drug is abused
even if you do not go to the pharmacy with a doctor’s prescription? I want to
share with you a real-life story about my next-door neighbor’s nineteen-year-old son and the lesson we can all learn from it.
You see, James was a young, bright man with a very promising
future. At the age of nineteen, my next-door neighbor’s son had just gained
admission into one of the top universities in the country. Everyone admired his
gentle soul because he was smart, respectful, and full of life. How did things
turn out bad for this boy? A seed for his parents who are expecting a good harvest
from him.
It all began innocently at a friend's party where someone
offered him a pill, saying it would make him feel good and forget all the stress
he had been experiencing. You know, when the Bible says Lack of knowledge, my
people perish, you should believe in expanding your scope of knowledge. He took
the pill, thinking it was harmless. But at a point, he spat it out because it
felt strange to him. Upon seeing his reaction from a distance, his friends came
around him. Oh, James, don’t be boring, just one won’t hurt. Like many teenagers,
he wanted to fit in. He believed and took the pill.
But my gentle reader, if you were to find yourself in such a place, what would have been your first response if you found yourself in his shoes?
I know your mind is telling you it will be right to walk away because, at the
moment, mine is telling me the same. After taking this pill, it became a norm; it
became an addiction. Soon, he started skipping classes. But dear parents, these are the reasons why you have to know your children very well. Because, for
James, these were the warning signs that his parents missed:
- His sudden mood swings
- His loss of interest in school
- His secretive behaviour
- His change in sleeping patterns
One evening, the entire
neighborhood was shocked when he collapsed in front of his house due to an
overdose. As loving as parents will always be, they rushed him to the hospital.
See, Jack, it was luck that saved his life, but the scars that these drugs have
left in his system, I won’t be uneasy to heal soon. Thanks to God, he has undergone
therapy and rebuilt what the drugs almost destroyed.
What Can We Learn From This?
Drug abuse is real, and it can happen to anyone, even the
people we least expect. Here are some key lessons:
- As a parent, guardian, or caretaker, it is your responsibility to educate children early about the dangers of abusing drugs
- It is also your responsibility to pay attention to any changes in the behavior of your child, in case there is anything fishy
- One thing parents often fail to do is offer emotional support. The truth is, when you do these things, you do not seek comfort in harmful substances
- Some counsellors are professionals in handling these issues and should always be a point of contact.
My final thought
My neighbor’s son’s story has always been one that keeps
reminding me that drug abuse is not just a personal problem but a problem for
the entire community or neighborhood, anywhere you find yourself. And it
is our responsibility to tackle these issues together in our areas of stay. If
this story touched you, share your comments and thoughts in the comments below.
One Wrong Step: How a single decision changed everything
Life is full of choices, yes, you have come across the sentence
before. Some of the choices we make are big, some small, and others, well, we
do not even know their sizes. The choices we make are many but dear; one wrong
step can change the entire direction of your life. Assume you are climbing some
stairs all the way up to the seventh floor of a storey building, and then all of
a sudden you miss a step, sweetheart, imagine what will happen to you unless
you hold onto a support. This same thing happened to a young man, Kelvin. He was an
intelligent, hardworking, and to talk about his diligent and loyalty. That had
everything going for him until one poor decision almost destroyed his future.
What happened?
Kelvin was just eighteen years old when he entered college.
To some people in some other places of lovely planet earth, this was a
breakthrough for them. You know what I mean, right? From the time he was born
till his current age, the boy just had a passion for technology and has always
had it in mind to become a software engineer. For him, he was lucky, unlike Peter
and James in the above stories. He had supportive parents, great friends, and a
promising career ahead of him. With his focused mindset and gaze, he did well and went through high school. He was ambitious and dedicated, which are good
qualities you must possess. It all looked perfect for Kelvin, but he had
one weakness: he believed he could take shortcuts and still succeed.
After landing an internship at a top tech company, he did
the unthinkable. Yeah, we as humans are not perfect, but we should not use that
as an excuse to make mistakes. One day, Kelvin’s boss assigned him an important
project and trusted him with a confidential client due to the boy's dedication and
intelligence. But guess what. Kelvin worked hard at first to finish this
project, but as time was drawing near for him, the young man began panicking.
Instead of asking for help or staying up late to finish, he decided to copy
parts of the project from a competitor’s system using unauthorized access. You
see, these are huge mistakes that we should try to avoid in our workplaces. Initially,
he thought to himself, “No one will find out. It is just one small step to get
things done”. This one wrong decision changed everything for him. You know, a
wise man once said, “ Allow the young desperate man to go into the forest and hunt
down the lion. When he kills the lion, he ends poverty; when the lion kills him, he ends poverty”. This wise saying means that when you are desperate to end
poverty, go out and end it. But for Kelvin, who was not ending poverty, he rather destroyed
his own career.
During a security audit by the company, it was found that
there was a breach in the system. After confronting Kelvin, he lost everything.
His career, his reputation, and opportunities. An internship that was supposed to
open doors for Kelvin ended. What then should we call this young man? His
parents have still not healed from the shame he brought to them, even as you are
reading this right now.
The Moral Lessons That We Can Learn From Kelvin's Story.
- You should by now learn that integrity matters more than shortcuts and that one wrong decision can undo years of hard work.
- When you are facing difficulties, ask for help instead of breaking rules and regulations
- Finally, again, every decision you make today affects your future, so make the right decisions.
My final thoughts
Imagine that you are walking on a narrow bridge over deep
water and make a wrong step, you will probably fall. My dearest gentle reader,
life is just like that. Shortcuts are traps in disguise, and it is not advisable
to always choose shortcuts. They may seem easy now, but then, the cost that
comes is greater.
