@Davinchysax 2 February 2021 more from that month

The Chaotic Life Of Men.

Each time I step out of the house to either get some time, get a job done or even to have a good time with the guys I always meet a world flowing in the streams of chaos. I know you may have not taking your time to study the environment you live in as a way to understand how chaos it has been from cradle to grave. When you wake up in the morning, you are already battling with time just to make sure that the day’s job and objectives are done. You rush your morning prayers for those who say their prayers in the morning, you jump into the bathroom in such a rush that most times you will end up not washing off the foam of the soap you use in bathing. As if that is not enough, you will speedily jump on your breakfast for those who still remember to eat their breakfast. Just with the speed of light, you will zoom off from the house almost forgetting one thing or the other just because you want to bit the heavy traffic waiting for you.

Source https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1602240565507-fb8bba7d1b69?ixid=MXwxMjA3fDB8MHxwaG90by1wYWdlfHx8fGVufDB8fHw%3D&ixlib=rb-1.2.1&auto=format&fit=crop&w=371&q=80 If you are opportune to have a car of your own, you will match so hard on the accelerator in such a manner that the woman who sells by the roadside will end up cursing you for driving so recklessly. If you manage to get passed the heavy traffic, you will sigh relief as if you have achieved your lifetime dream. After jumping all these obstacles just to get to your workplace, you will now face the main trouble of the day as you try to please your boss in other not to get fired. It does not end there. When it looks like life is become a bit fair to you by giving you more money in your account, family problems will set in. For a bachelor, the mother will become a pest in his life, constantly disturbing him by reminding him that his mates are already married, putting him into more pressure to meet-up with the expectations of his immediate family.

Source https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1507537297725-24a1c029d3ca?ixlib=rb-1.2.1&ixid=MXwxMjA3fDB8MHxwaG90by1wYWdlfHx8fGVufDB8fHw%3D&auto=format&fit=crop&w=634&q=80 This same young man is expected to take care of his parents, his younger siblings, himself and his girlfriend for those who were able to date. He struggles through all of this with little or no help just because he was given the orientation that life is all about struggles and survival of the fittest. Whether he had a level playing ground with his mates no one cares to know, what matters is that everyone expects him to conquer the battle of life by becoming a successful man. I have looked very closely at the life expectancy rate of Nigerians especially the males, it is almost getting below 45 years and this is so worrisome. It is not that we don’t try our best to live a healthy life but it is just that our life has been naturally compounded by so many expectations that we end up forgetting that life itself is more important than the things needed to maintain it.   The chaotic nature of our life as Nigerian adult males have become more like a routine that we are now swimming comfortably in its pool of stress. I have seen and heard of how a man will be walking on the streets and all of a sudden he slumps, only to be rushed to the hospital and the doctor will just say he is dead. It is very pathetic and heartbreaking how chaotic our life has become right from birth. I remember this adage my father will always tell me; **“if you are born and you find out that you are a boy sorry for you because your suffering just started”.** The first time I heard him say that to me, I didn’t bother to think about it but after some time, I began to see that each day of my life represents that saying. The most painful part is that there is absolutely nothing I can do about it other than to keep fighting this unending battle.   Most times we are left to praise and encourage ourselves even if no one encourages us. Have you ever felt like giving up as a man? In the western world, we hear cases of people committing suicide because their lover ended their relationship with them. We also hear cases of severe depression which most times leads to death, but in Nigeria, such things are hardly seen because everyone born in this country especially the males, begins life with the mindset and understanding that the only way to survival is to keep struggling till death calls. The questions I keep asking myself are this; are we going to remain like this till will die? Is this how our life will end? Are we just meant to work round the clock just for food? When will it end? These and many other questions go through my mind and that of others on a daily bases.

Source https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1562066197-ee227ba3f502?ixid=MXwxMjA3fDB8MHxwaG90by1wYWdlfHx8fGVufDB8fHw%3D&ixlib=rb-1.2.1&auto=format&fit=crop&w=890&q=80 The solution I have may not be a solution to you because you have made up your mind to keep living the same way you do. The simple solution is to take a time off. I know that you may be worrying about how you will make ends meet if you take a time off. Have you forgotten that if you die struggling that life will go on? You must take a cue from a car owner who dumps his old car the moment he feels like it has gone bad or inefficient. Don’t work yourself to death trying to impress and take care of others while you hardly take care of yourself. This doesn’t mean that you should not work hard as a man rather you should always know when to stop and take a time off because life has no duplicate. Lead image https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1554146347-dc1eb254a96d?ixid=MXwxMjA3fDB8MHxwaG90by1wYWdlfHx8fGVufDB8fHw%3D&ixlib=rb-1.2.1&auto=format&fit=crop&w=667&q=80