I didn't fully comprehend the Simon Makonde story as narrated on the blog where I read it but I went ahead and wrote a post about it on my blog. And guess what! The post attracted quite a number of blog visitors who were searching for more information about Simon Makonde, meaning the story was trending on the internet.
As the story goes, Simon Makonde was born on a Monday. He was named on a Tuesday. He was married on a Wednesday. He was taken ill on a Thursday. He was treated on a Friday. He died on a Saturday. He was buried on a Sunday. And that's the sad story of Simon Makonde.
It's quite obvious the story is sad because Simon Makonde never accomplished anything worthwhile and legendary in his life. He was just born, named, married, and then he fell ill and died. What a wasted life!
Come to think of it, this world is full of Simon Makondes. Many people are afraid of standing out from the crowd. They fear failure, criticism, rejection and even success itself. Such unhealthy fears keep them from leaving a mark on this planet.
That reminds me of a short poem I read in Denis Waitley's delightful book, Being the Best. The poem went as follows:
There was a very cautious manYes, this world is full of Simon Makondes. That's why it is said the richest place is not in Israel or America. The richest place is in a cemetery, for therein lies books that were never written, music that was never composed, inventions that were never made and businesses that were never started - all because the dead were afraid of venturing out.
Who never laughed or played
He never risked, he never tried
He never sang or prayed
And when he one day passed away
His insurance was denied
For since he never really lived
They claimed he never died.
The story of Simon Makonde has, to borrow the words of Jack Canfield, inspired me to love and accept myself more completely, to open my heart to others more fully, to trust and believe in myself more deeply, and to pursue my dreams more boldly and passionately. One of my dreams is to become an internationally acclaimed blogger in my own unique way.
I am very passionate about blogging not only because it utilizes my talents for writing, singing, piano-playing and computer programming but also because it connects me with people all across the world, thus diminishing the feeling of loneliness, a major contributor to mental illnesses.
Like I have said before, constructing this blog to what it looks today has been a challenging but exhilarating experience. I have faced much criticism and rejection along the way. But the hope of a better tomorrow is what keeps me pressing forward.
Since I am a certified evangelist, this blog is now my ministry. I am always endeavoring to share stories, quotes and videos that draw people closer to God and to His principles. And my prayer is that the blog will continue impacting future generations after I die.
As I keep on striving to be a consistent and entertaining blogger, I will heed the advice of Ray Stata, an American entrepreneur, engineer and investor who urged the 2010 graduating class of MIT not to risk failure. Ray Stata told the MIT graduates that "you can't play it safe and win" - a lesson that can be gleaned from the sad story of Simon Makonde.
My beloved reader, I challenge you to also not lead your life the Simon Makonde way. Dare to take the road less travelled. Aspire to achieve something worthwhile and legendary in your life. Let it be said of us after we die that "we came, we saw, we conquered". Adieu!
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RECOMMENDATION: If you've enjoyed the above story on Simon Makonde, you might also enjoy another one on "Tips on How to Leave a Legacy" which I wrote more than five years ago. Just click on that link in blue to dive straight into the story.
