ADELOLA EDEMA
On my way to work this morning, I saw someone with a black mark on her head. I was initially scared, but then it occurred to me that today is ash Wednesday. I was then reminded of my first ash Wednesday in Ife.
I remember being in BOOC for an early morning Botany class. I saw the first person with the black mark on the forehead, I thought it was an Ayamatanga something. As strange as it was, I was not scared until many people came into the class with the mark. What was more scary was that nobody else seemed disturbed with the ayamatanga people. Was I the only one that could see the mark? When I couldn't concentrate on the lecture, I asked the person beside me if he could see the people with the mark. What a relief it was to know that I was not the only person seeing the mark, they were not evil people, and it was a christian tradition
How come I never saw such in Feggicola?
Ignorance does bring fear; when you don't understand something it can also cause fear. But asking questions (from the right people sha o) can make a lot of difference.
A mother of a girl on the autism spectrum asked me once if there were people with autism who were doing well. I told her to read about Temple Grandin.
She came back with so much hope for her daughter, and the initial fear she had was gone.
To deal with the fear in your heart, the right knowledge may be all you need.
