‘How do you conquer the world when you have no talents? How do you achieve success when you can’t sing, dance, write or even draw? I’m just useless, a bundle of talentless emptiness!’

I looked at the tiny girl with some degree of pity and empathy. She does look talentless, almost useless with her scrawny frame, sad eyes, kinky black and uncombed hair with her knock legs spilling out of her blue school pinafore. Oh, poor thing! If only you knew that success is born through as simple as having a curious mind. I tried to pick her up, hold her tight and whisper soothing words into her batty ears, but I’m translucent, ephemeral being only seen in thoughts and whispers but never with the eyes. Sighs… if only she’ll listen. ‘It’s okay. You don’t need talent to succeed,’ I whispered but she doesn’t believe me. She doesn’t even hear me.

…

‘It’s bad enough that I didn’t find my talent. Oh, sorry, I have none. But to fail WAEC is just worse. I can’t even get anything right. No talents, no sports, no clubs, no extra activities except school work and I still didn’t pass jamb?! What a wasted life! So useless, I probably should end it!’

Yes. Still a poor thing even after a few years passed. I looked at the not so tiny girl anymore. The scrawny frame had filled out just a little bit to become rectangular, nothing plum or robust. Just straight. Enough to signal her passing from childhood to teenage hood. Once again, I wish I could hold her small frame, hug her tightly and tell her it’s not the end of the world to fail WAEC. It’s not even the beginning. WAEC is just an exam that can be written again and again but a resigned mind is a dangerous one. I move close to her and rest my palm on her shoulders, I draw her closer and touch her black teary cheek, I tilt her chin upward and see the raw pain, anger and frustration in the depth of her eyes. I hold her and although she doesn’t see me, she relaxes her tense muscles. I whisper in her ears,

“Calm down child, failing WAEC is not the end of the world. You will write another and pass and move on with your life.” I think she heard because the tears stop.

…

‘Now that I’m in the university, what next? I’m tired of living a lackluster and frustrated life. I barely have a personality, do not enjoy participation and have no accomplishments. Once again, I’m a bundle of talentless emptiness. But, what can I do differently?’

This time, my smile reaches from my cheeks to the tip of my eyes. I smile because finally, it has clicked. She now understands my relationship with her, she feels my existence and yearns for my guidance. I smile because she’s not talentless neither is she useless. She’s only lost amidst the dust and layers of daily occurrence and events. She’s lost in the depth of subconscious living. She’s lost in the mechanics of transitioning, in her limiting environment and experiences. I smile because there’s a ray of hope. I move closer to her, hold her sweaty hands and clasp her palms within my bear hands as if in prayer mode. I look into the depth of her eyes and see the frustration fading, giving way for a new kind of hope. A tiredness of the listlessness and I almost weep from joy.

“Listen child,’’ I say, “talent is overrated, failure is not death and it is never too late to set a new goal. You are the driver of your fate, the master of your soul. As long as you fill your mind with positivity, you will be happy. As long as desire a thing with persistence, you will get it, as long as you believe, you will become. Hush now, child.”

…

“I spent seven years of my life questioning my existence, comparing myself to peers, believing that I would never amount to anything. For seven years, I was merely existing, not living despite being so young. My mind was buried beneath layers of debris of disbelief, fear and limitation, and I spent seven years gazing away in the horizon, wondering what could have been. But now, I understand that to live a wholesome and confident life, I must assume full responsibility for my life and experiences. At fourteen, I thought my life was over, that I was useless. Now, I know my life is just starting and that I have an infinite number of things to achieve. Thank you.”

As I watched her climb down the stage, my heart leaped for joy. My girl just delivered a captivating and memorable speech about intentional living. How far she’s come, from that angry, frustrated bundle of talentless emptiness to the suicidal young adult and now, a bundle of light who speaks to make impact. If I wasn’t so intimate with her life’s pattern, it would be unbelievable. But I know her like I know the back of my hand. I was there when she gladly waved goodbye to her parents on the first day of school. I was present when she reeled off the names on the class register, by heart that same evening. I was in the room when the English teacher called her to rewrite her exam because the first had been too perfect. Guess who surpassed the initial attempt? My Girl! I was present when she was awarded Overall Best in English in the entire class but where did she miss it? I can’t seem to remember but I know that my girl was destined for greatness and I will be here to see it manifest. Go girl!