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Others say, “Whatsoever you sow, that shall you reap.”
I won't agree less to any, as I've seen them play out in the life of my friend. Let's call him ‘Kay’.
Kay and I have come a long way as friends, wading through life's obstacles and basking in diverse triumphs together. I met him in my second year at the University, and after stretching a helping hand towards me for the third time, I concluded, “Kay is head over heels”.
But Kay quickly countered my thoughts as his kindness spread to virtually everyone around him. I began to take note of the little things he did.
“Who exactly is this fellow? An angel?” This became my everyday thought.
With time, Kay proved to be someone whose middle name should rather be ‘Helper’. You dare not mention a need around him, he'll come through somehow. Sometimes, he offers pieces of advice that are rare. His support towards one's goal is something entirely.
I won't ever forget a particular event in my third year. I'd return from home with nothing to sustain me for the semester. It was strange because I'd always returned to school with loads of food. But a lot was going on at home that I couldn't get anything other than my transport fare back to school.
I wanted to keep it to myself, to struggle my way through the semester. However, Kay's persistent spirit wouldn't let me so I had to open up.
That day, though he didn't have much, he gifted me some money, adding that if I was interested in a part-time job, he could get one for me.
I gazed at him for the first time since I opened up, hoping to see an angel in his eyes, but instead, my tear-filled eyes failed me as I broke down.
“Why are you just so kind?“ I sniffed. “I would have concluded that these are all acts of pretence, but you act the same way towards everybody around you.”
He only smiled and asked instead. “When are we going home?”
I was embarrassed... at my tears which had failed me, and how he didn't take my deep words seriously. I dabbed my tears with my fingers, smiling and laughing equally.
“Can you just accept my appreciation for once?”
“You are doing too much already. Do you want me to take the place of God?”
Our conversation went that way as we walked back home.
That's one of the many times he's come through for me.
I know that Kay is human and will definitely have needs or burdens, but no matter how hard I tried, he'd never tell me anything. He'd instead say,
“You have a lot to bother about, Delight. Let Kay be the least of your worries.”
That even made me worry. But because I had learned from him to be persistent, I bombarded him, day in, day out, with my million questions.
“What is bothering you?”
Kay later opened up that he was going through some academic challenges. We're in the same department but I'm a level ahead, and from year one, his results have been nothing to write home about — due to some errors in the department.
Why would his result be filled with unrecorded scores of some courses, sapping out his CGPA? That bothered him down to Earth.
With my position as the academic director of the department, I worked tirelessly to ensure that the issues were resolved. It was time-consuming, effort-draining, and almost impossible. But I was determined to put a smile on the face of my friend.
I wrote letters, entered different offices, and with my faculty and Student Union (SUG) presidents involved, we attended meetings. A few staff were laid out while some were suspended. But in all, I brought the good news home.
Sighting Kay from a few meters, seated in his corridor with his eyes on his books, his aura told that he was tired of the academic efforts that always turned futile. But after breaking the news to him, Kay forgot that I was a grown-up and swept me off the ground with his hands, lifting me in what seemed like uncontrollable glee. I had to scream, squirming my feet before he brought me down.
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“You mean, the issues have been resolved?” His eyes burned with astonishment.
I nodded affirmatively, beaming brightly. He threw me into his embrace again, giggling and tearing up simultaneously.
“For this you've done, thank you!”
My joy that day was boundless.
So it meant nothing to me when, yesterday, I gave out the last money in my account for a birthday surprise plan for my favourite lecturer and project supervisor who's been kind to his students over the years.
Kay has not only taught me what it means to be generous, but he's also confirmed the saying, “Whatsoever one sows, that shall he reap.”