ANXIETY OF INFLUENCE

I have chosen a title and illustration used by Joel Stein of Time (c)magazine in one of his columns last year. His, readily came to mind as I reflected on my recent trip. I had travelled with my wife to attend a Christian child dedication ceremony for a friend’s newly born. It provided me the chance to personally rejoice with an old friend who had just become a parent for the first time; identifying with his high moment.


As is customary, it was also an opportunity to see who the “bundle of joy” looks like. The pictures from the e-mail showed a baby with phenotypical proximity to his mother. However, on the phone, it was said that everyone says the baby has the looks of the father. I had joked to my friend that I could bet the only semblance the baby would have with him was his gender!

I decided very early (o yeah!) in my marriage that my wife and I will not be one of those couples who engage in “other couples’ gossip “; spending their own quality time together talking about what other couples do that they do. However, I have not been able to stay away from those bragging conversations about whose dominant gene will be transmitted to our progeny. The pride of my envisaged dominance has been over bearing save for only two physical concessions: that the generation after us would neither take my height nor my hair line.

A similar couple war based on who has got greater genes is what Joel Stein narrates in the article of reference. It’s amazing to think that one’s superiority is drawn from how much an offspring inherits from one’s gene pool. Probably this is from the part of our species that wants to live on for ever. What a view on life.

Postscript.
You can read the Joel Stein's article on the following link:  http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1973298,00.html

FINDING INSPIRATION IN THE NEW YEAR

Today is the 12th day of the New Year and of course a week after the traditional 12th night when all the decorations are removed. I have been so busy at work that the days of this New Year have run rather fast. This is despite the fact that this season of the year comes with longer days. Need less; I would rather have these days dragged along. Life just seems too fast these days.


The past 12 days and a couple before them have been filled with thoughts bordering on finding inspiration for the year. As it is, my life is more expanded than it has ever been and some things are better experienced. I have never been at a loss in finding direction for my life, this time though, I have found myself hesitant about leaving certain comfort zones. I know that whatever the final drift I take, I am going to be pursuing a life of happiness and desires-attained.

I learnt a long time ago not to enslave myself to my goals at the expense of enjoying the gift that life is. This will play out in my life again this year; enjoying the hunt as much as the kill. It’s going to be an exciting year no doubt. I am simply pensive with the details of the deliberateness of life. Yes, for after all, life is what one makes of it.

To all of my readers
Happy New Year! An old friend got in touch with me during my holidays last year. While we did catch-up, he mentioned that he was an avid follower of my blog (HEYMEYVILLE). To this I replied that he ought to have made comments on the posts that caught his particular fancy. As it is traditional to have resolutions at the beginning of a New Year, I hope one of yours would be to write comments “ON” Heymeyville. This feedback is essentially a part of what makes a blog. I would be looking forward to reading from you this year and who knows, we can make a community of it.