Dad and the thought of Karma

 

I didn’t think my dad a great personality, until I became an adult and I began to understand some of his actions and how distinctive of a trait that they were.

One of such is his hatred for being caught up in a karmic situation.

Either we suffer for personal misdeeds, or as a result of the karma from a generational wrong doing, he always wants to live right.

He is undesirous of causing anyone pain or tears, most especially when he is in a position of authority and/or power over them.

Dad would rather be at loggerheads with superiors over victimization especially, and honestly, I found me in same shoes, even though unconsciously.

In addition, my dad constantly reiterates John 16;33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me, ye have peace. In the world, ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world”

“Let my tribulations be my test of faith from God” goes his perpetual addition to the bible verse above “the one that comes with an expiry date and a solution from God. And not the one I am suffering as a result of Karma, even God would look away at this point” He would always conclude.

I didn’t really understand until now that I see wicked people suffering the consequences of their actions. Basically, he trained me to believe that one of the best way to a greater and easy life, is to act right and simply avoid karma.

Nevertheless, as we journeyed to the photo studio today (this I had forced on him for his birthday) his Karma consciousness was again stirred up when we passed by a Polaris bank at Sango-Ota, same building that housed an old generation bank in the early 90s.

He reiterated the incidence on how he had given my mum the sum of 4000 Naira to deposit for him in the bank. Mum had always been carefree, and this attribute played out in the fact that she did not run a crosscheck on the pass-book(the tool used to record money for bank customers in those days). She simply closed same and went home right after depositing the money.

At dusk, dad claimed to have requested for his passbook and alas, the cashier had written the sum of 400,000 naira as deposited amount. Poor young woman had unintentionally written the triple zeros in four thousand, twice.

Dad affirmed to have raised alarm and berated mum for not running a double check at the amount written on the spot, and before leaving the counter;

“What if you were shortchanged instead” he further reprimanded.

The next day my parents were at the bank and noticeably however, dad narrated that the cashier was not at the counter. And upon inquiry, she’s been drafted to the Branch Manager’s office where they were equally invited into.

The ensuing effect of her mistake, saw most of the key players of the bank sleeping behind at the office to fish out the anomaly. Dad said he remembered the fact that her eyes were all swollen from a longer hours of crying and probably jerking.

And now I could imagine her fears, no CCTV footage to ‘diagnose’ the actual number of naira notes that she was given, infact, there is absolutely no way to exonerate her carelessness, if my parents had not had conscience. Dad would have clearly been #400,000 richer, but at the expense of someone else’s inconvenience.

Dad claimed to still remembers all of the heartfelt wishes and encomiums that the entire staff of the bank had showered on them for being kind hearted.

He was fulfilled.

“Remember the last time you had issues at work” he retorted at me, wearing his tale telling mien yet again that I had to roll my eyes at this. “That year you said you were caught up in a big situation with your client and that it might lead to your dismissal at work” he continued, totally disregarding my expression.

“I simply reminded God that I never did evil to someone’s child before, reminding God of this same story, and that God should intervene.” He concluded and even though I didn’t reflect this, I beamed at his narration.

This was him, reminding me of an unfortunate situation at my previous office in 2017. It was actually a case of a client wanting to rope me into an unfortunate situation, but then I came out ‘unscratched’.

This and more of such stories he would tell me, believe it or not the need to act and live right cannot be over emphasized in the real sense of it.

Unfortunately however, for those who don’t believe in this, karma is real, and whatever anyone sows, same he shall surely reap.

So happy birthday yet again to my superman hero, my big 64.

I’m optimistic that the really big birthday party would soon to be a reality.