It’s 2021 y’aIl!
Happy New Year, everyone! 🎉 A fresh year is here, and I couldn’t be more glad, positive, and excited. I’m so fired up that I thought, why not hit the ground running immediately? No dilly-dallying this year — let’s start strong and make every moment count!
Ashake and Owoade’s Journey
I love starting a new year with a post that stirs us into action — a word of encouragement to set the tone for the months ahead. I’ve titled this one “Ashake and Owoade’s Journey,” inspired by a Yoruba proverb that my younger sister and I are particularly fond of:
“Ìrìn Àṣàkẹ́ yàtọ̀ sí ti Ọ̀wọ́adé. Àṣàkẹ́ ń wá ọkọ lọ, Ọ̀wọ́adé ń lọ sí ọ̀de ọ́run.”
Yoruba Proverb
In simple terms, the proverb means: Ashake’s journey is different from Owoade’s. Ashake is in search of love, while Owoade is pursuing the Kingdom of Heaven.
This proverb struck my sister and me so deeply that we found ourselves referencing it whenever the occasion called for it. One of us would simply mutter, “Hmmm, Ìrìn Àṣàkẹ́,” and the other would immediately understand. We would both chuckle, amused by the situation unfolding before us.
To anyone listening in, it would sound like a mysterious inside joke. Unless, of course, they were familiar with the proverb. Over time, it became our little shorthand — a humorous yet profound reminder that people travel different paths in life, pursue different goals, and are called to different destinations. It also reminded us of the richness of our culture and the wisdom tucked away in the sayings passed down through generations.
Different Journeys, Different Paths
When I think about the billions of people on earth, I cannot help but marvel at the uniqueness of God’s creation. How is it possible that so many of us exist, yet each person carries a distinct purpose, a different assignment, and a unique calling? Even identical twins, who share the same womb and often look remarkably alike, come into the world with different destinies to fulfil.
This is why comparing our journeys can be so misleading. We may walk alongside others for a season, but we were not all created for the same purpose. Just as Ashake’s journey differed from Owoade’s, our paths in life are often very different from those of the people around us. It doesn’t make one journey better or more valid than another; it simply means we are each travelling a path uniquely designed for us. What matters is not whose journey appears more impressive, but whether we are faithfully walking our own.
It is in discovering our purpose that we begin to move toward our destiny. Purpose gives direction to our lives, fuels our decisions, and guides our steps. Without it, we can easily drift from one thing to another, measuring ourselves against others and wondering why our lives do not look the same. But when we understand why we are here, we move with greater clarity, intention, and confidence.
Finding and embracing our purpose is not always easy. It often requires patience, self-discovery, faith, and growth. Yet it remains one of the most important pursuits of our lives, because a life lived on purpose is a life lived with meaning.
In our journey through life, it is easy to lose sight of this important truth. We often find ourselves comparing our lives, achievements, and progress with those of others. While comparison may occasionally spur us on to do better, more often it has the opposite effect. It can breed discouragement, chip away at our self-esteem, and, in some cases, lead us into despair. We begin to question our worth, doubt our abilities, and wonder why our lives do not look like someone else’s.
This is why we must continually remind ourselves that each of us has a unique purpose. Our journeys are different, our assignments are different, and our destinations are different. We were never meant to live someone else’s life, walk someone else’s path, or fulfil someone else’s calling.
And even when we appear to be heading toward the same destination, the journey itself is rarely the same. We each encounter different opportunities, challenges, detours, and lessons along the way. What takes one person a year may take another ten. What comes easily to one may require great perseverance from another. The destination may be similar, but the road travelled is uniquely our own.
The Fridge Analogy
A fridge is designed to cool, while a microwave is designed to heat. Both serve valuable purposes in the home, but neither can effectively replace the other. Imagine a microwave becoming dissatisfied with its role and deciding it wants to be a fridge instead because cooling seems more appealing. The idea sounds absurd, yet that is often what we do when we compare ourselves to others and try to become what we were never created to be.
The fridge does not need to heat in order to be valuable, and the microwave does not need to cool in order to be successful. Each fulfils the purpose for which it was designed. In the same way, we do not have to become someone else to live meaningful and impactful lives. Our greatest fulfilment comes not from imitating others, but from embracing who we were created to be and faithfully fulfilling our own unique purpose.
There is freedom in embracing who we are and the purpose for which we were made. When we stop measuring our journey against someone else’s and begin focusing on our own path, we find greater contentment, confidence, and fulfilment. Embracing our journey—and honouring our purpose—is one of the first steps toward living fully, authentically, and intentionally.
Here’s another scenario:
You’re driving home after a long day, and traffic is at a standstill. Your exit is still a few miles away, but you notice an earlier exit where cars seem to be moving freely. Out of frustration or impatience, would you take that exit simply because it looks easier?
As you watch other motorists breeze past, leaving the traffic behind, you might be tempted. But unless you know where that road leads, would you really abandon your planned route? Most of us would answer, “No.”
Yet when it comes to life, this is exactly what many of us do.
We see a friend thriving in a particular career, business, or venture, and suddenly we begin to question our own path. We are tempted to jump ship, convinced that if something is working for them, it must be the answer for us too. We compare our progress with theirs and become discouraged by what we have not yet achieved. Before long, we are expending precious energy on frustration, envy, and self-pity rather than investing it in our own growth and development.
The problem is that someone else’s route may not lead to your destination.
What looks like a shortcut could end up taking you miles away from where you are meant to be. The fact that another person’s journey appears smoother, faster, or more successful does not mean it is your journey to take. Their road was chosen for their purpose; yours was designed for yours.
The challenge is to remain faithful to the path set before you, even when progress feels slow and the traffic seems endless. Trust that your destination is worth the wait. Stay focused on your assignment. Keep moving forward with patience, persistence, and faith.Your journey is unique. Your destination is unique. And your exit will come at exactly the right time. Until then, stay the course
The Greener Grass: Tend Your Garden
My dad has a remarkably lush garden. Twice every day, you can hear the sprinklers rhythmically twirling away, watering different sections of the lawn and flower beds. After breakfast, and sometimes again in the evening, he takes a walk through the garden, inspecting every corner. He removes dead leaves, checks on the trees and shrubs, and makes sure each plant is receiving the care it needs to thrive.
I often tell him how much I look forward to coming home and seeing his beautiful garden. My brother likes to joke that Dad’s garden probably receives more attention than anyone else in the house! 😄
Passersby and visitors regularly stop to admire the garden. Some may even wonder why their own gardens are not as lush or vibrant. What they do not see, however, is the daily commitment behind the beauty—the watering, pruning, weeding, monitoring, and patient care that takes place long before anyone notices the results.
And isn’t that often the case in life?
We admire someone’s success, achievement, marriage, ministry, business, or talent, seeing only the flourishing garden before us. What we often fail to see are the early mornings, the sacrifices, the disappointments, the discipline, and the years of faithful effort that made that growth possible.
Many of us spend so much time looking over the fence at someone else’s garden that we neglect our own. We compare their harvest to our seeds, their bloom to our planting season, and their results to our beginnings. The truth is that grass is rarely greener by accident. More often than not, it is greener because someone has been tending it faithfully.
If you want to see growth in your own life, focus on cultivating what has been placed in your hands. Water your dreams. Develop your gifts. Nurture your relationships. Invest in your purpose. Pull out the weeds of comparison, bitterness, and discouragement before they take root.
A flourishing life, like a flourishing garden, is built through consistent care, attention, and patience. You cannot rush the process, but if you keep tending your garden, the day will come when others will admire the beauty of what has grown there.
So instead of worrying about whether the grass is greener on the other side, tend your own garden. In time, it will flourish too.
My point is this: this year, let us devote more time and energy to tending our own garden.
For some of us, that may mean taking a course, reading more books, learning a new skill, or committing to consistent practice in an area where we want to grow. For others, it may involve nurturing relationships, strengthening our faith, improving our health, or pursuing a long-held dream. Whatever form it takes, growth rarely happens by accident. We only develop when we intentionally invest in ourselves.
There is something unique within each of us—a purpose, a gift, an assignment that is ours alone to fulfil. Discovering that purpose is exciting, but it is only the beginning. The greater challenge lies in cultivating it, developing it, and faithfully tending it over time. Like a seed planted in fertile soil, our purpose needs care, patience, and perseverance if it is to flourish.
And when it does flourish, it brings not only success but also a deep sense of fulfilment—the satisfaction that comes from knowing we are walking in the path we were created to follow.
Remember, the grass often appears greener on the other side either because it is artificial 😛 or because someone has invested countless hours nurturing it. What we see from a distance is not always the full picture. Sometimes it is an illusion; other times, it is the result of years of discipline, sacrifice, hard work, and commitment.
That is why it is far wiser to focus on our own growth than to become distracted by someone else’s progress. Comparison steals joy, clouds perspective, and diverts energy away from what truly matters. The time we spend wishing for another person’s garden would be far better spent watering our own.
As you Journey On…
So while Ashake is out there looking for herself a man😉, Owoade is on a pilgrimage! Their journeys couldn’t be more different. And that is exactly the point. ‘Your journey is not your friend’s. It is not your sibling’s, your colleague’s, your neighbour’s, or anyone else’s’. It is uniquely yours.
Of course, Owoade may eventually reach a stage where love becomes part of his journey too. Life unfolds in seasons, and we all arrive at different milestones at different times. We face different challenges, learn different lessons, and enjoy different rewards along the way. What matters is not whether our journeys look alike, but whether we remain faithful to the path we have been given.
Your destination is your own.
I know it can be tempting to compare your progress with someone else’s. It is natural to notice the achievements of those around us. But rather than becoming distracted by their success, choose to learn from them. Celebrate their victories. Be inspired by their stories. Then return your focus to your own journey and continue moving forward.
As we’ve seen, the most flourishing gardens belong to those who tend them faithfully. The right exit is reached by those who stay the course. And purpose is fulfilled by those who embrace the path uniquely designed for them. May we all discover our purpose, nurture our gifts, and arrive safely at the destinations prepared for us—in our own time and in our own way.
And remember, many of the lessons we read in books or hear in motivational talks were born from real-life experiences. So go out there and create yours. Who knows? There may be a book inside you waiting to be written. 😉
Focus on your purpose. Tend your garden. Stay on your path. And keep moving forward.
After all, a rolling stone gathers no moss! (Today really must be Proverbs Day! 😉)
Have a wonderful and fulfilling year ahead.
Aunty Lulu ❤️
Similar posts
Ohun Tí A Ní Là ń Gbé Lárugẹ: A Reflection on Self-Worth, Honor, and Intentional Living
Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me? https://www.binance.info/register?ref=IXBIAFVY
Thanks for sharing. I read many of your blog posts, cool, your blog is very good. https://accounts.binance.info/uk-UA/register-person?ref=XZNNWTW7
Thanks for sharing. I read many of your blog posts, cool, your blog is very good.