A LOST OPPORTUNITY BY KAREN SILA:

Opportunities are given and as journeys they are taken. Recognizing opportunities is the tricky part.

Dan was elated. Soon to join the top hospital in the country as a surgeon, his dream come true. Always on call.

Slowly it dawned on him what his lecturer meant by saying, “It’s not smooth sailing, surgeons are scarce.”

Late nights or early mornings, made no difference.

Accidents, premature births and corrective surgeries filled his in tray. His parents weekly calls somewhat encouraging.

Xavier, his high school buddy ended up as a carpenter.

Together with Dan, becoming surgeons was their dream.

Being a carpenter was no nightmare.

He was actually enjoying.

Having started a workshop with 2 employees, the smell or wood and paint, ever present laughter and happy customers made all the difference.

Dan looked forward to visiting his friend Xavier. Though rare, they added colour to his routine.

He enjoyed the workshop’s atmosphere compared to the hospital halls.

Slowly he began to think. Had he achieved?

Victory, triumph, fulfillment.

Synonyms of achievement.

How does it look like? Feel like? Can you tell when you have achieved?

My grades were not as I expected when I cleared my O levels.

For 2 days (2 days! I really had tears to pour.) I cried that I had not achieved.

My dream of becoming a lawyer going up in flames.
My mother did her best to encourage me. It didn’t work.

I moped around for weeks.

Finally she shared a story.

Then it clicked. Opportunities are as time and chance, they happen to all men.

When taken so begins the journey.

And any memorable journey has its stops and turns.

What of Dan? Did he find his answers?

With great struggle but firm on his decision, he quit his job at the hospital.

A decision that did not go well with his parents.

Soon learning to live with it. Xavier was sceptical when Dan asked if he could hire him.

He took to carpentry as if born for it.

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