Few years ago , thoughts of sleeping alone in a room could make me convulse , the mere sight of darkness made me wet my pants several times , then I guess I was just possessed with the spirit called fear , and trust my daddy, he made sure He took a drastic step to stop this my unreasonable habit.
Over dinner in my house , my dad will intentionally talk about the metaphysical world, he will gist my mother about the ghosts of family friends that appeared to him or to someone else , he will go ahead and lecture us about the power we have as living beings and how to say No to fear , but that didn’t help me , it only compounded my problems. He said we should learn to read people and have minds of our own , he taught us to be independent and confident in whatever situation we found ourselves, he drummed in our ears ‘’ don’t be yes men , learn to say No when you need to say it , and vice versa’’.
Sadly my daddy’s expectation were not birthed on me as I am a middle child and I have a terrible disease , which for years has been sucking me dry; I have an APPROVAL ADDICTION SYDROME.I don’t need a doctor to explain the pathological history of my illness to me , I know the symptoms , am aware of its destructive effects , the first step to the healing is to admit of its existence,
So to everybody that knows me and really thinks am cool, nice, maybe too nice sometimes, am sorry to announce to you that I have a sickness that makes me try so hard to make people like me , I just care too much about what people think about me . I am a needy individual, the thoughts of being in the bad books of relatives and friends grieve me and it has made me addicted to this habit of always saying ‘YES’ to everyone
As a middle child , I feel it’s my responsibility to work hard for love , as a child , I struggled a lot for recognition from people , but no matter how much I tried , I am just the ‘ insignificant ugly duckling of the family’ then all I used to hear from insensitive people were ‘’ how come you are part of the Odeyemi’s , you are not even as brilliant as them , others are so pretty and you are such a tomboy’’. As I grew with these words , something in me kept telling me that I need to prove a point to people , a niggling thought kept on whispering to me to work hard for people’s love , the more I try , the more frustrated and disillusioned I become . So for over a decade of my life, I have been a hard worker in the department of love , I feel always unworthy to accept love that is given without strings, something in me screams that I should be nice to everyone so they can love me, my philosophy for over 23 years is to ‘’ always bring something to the table ‘’
This sickness had spilled into everything I have , at work , I can’t stop smiling to people , because I need to create an impression that I am that ‘ cute , smiley girl ‘which I know am not , am not bad either . In church , I am not really into the smiling thing ,but come to see me on a Sunday morning , you are sure to see a peacock all fluttered with array of colours , I dress to always make a statement that ‘’I am tush now , so I am qualified to be your friend’’.
At home , I am that perfect homebody that respects everybody even the pets , I stuff my emotions in , so that folks will not know the real me , I have heard comments like ‘’ tolulope doesn’t get angry , she is so calm ‘’ and I used to wonder about the truth of this statement , because it’s just a blatant lie , I get angry , seriously hurt , I just don’t know how to show it . Because of my supposedly calm nature , I became a foot mat to people, because they usually feel they can get away with anything from me.
In my relationship, which is the funniest thing , I don’t like guys who are falling head over heels in love with me , because they look kind of cheap , I mean too accessible to me , I love to go to places where I have to work hard for love , so severally , I have found myself in bad situations where I need to literally chase a guy, my sickness has prevented from accepting love from people that love me for who I am.
With God, it’s more complex , because most times , I just it find so hard to believe that God will love me , the Scriptures sometimes look too simple and easy , I read about Jesus ‘s sacrifice , my favourite in the scriptures is Isaiah , which eulogises God’s love and redemption for mankind , in all of this , I still struggle to believe , doubts plague my mind about how God is too holy to associate with someone like me.
But there is no one like my God , He is patient with me , He knows my frame , He understands my weaknesses , whenever I break down and cry to Him to help me , He always remembers that He has dealt with ladies like me before , He closes His eyes , and He sees RAHAB, BATHSEBA ,MARY MAGADLENE and He smiles because I am just one of His special girls . As He holds me in His hands , He keeps telling me that He’s not through with me , that I were to be the only person that needed salvation , He will still had come . This season I am not thinking about the weave on I need to fix, or the shows I need to go to , or the young man that I really need him to call me , am thinking and am praying frantically to God to teach me to accept His love and make me say No to all the issues in my life.
I need to hold my head high in His presence and be the woman He wants me to be.
Dec 20, 2010 @ 09:36:43
This is a beginning of a new dawn.
Dec 20, 2010 @ 14:05:21
bukkie, thank you so much , how are you doing?
Dec 20, 2010 @ 10:00:23
Wow!fantastic
Dec 20, 2010 @ 14:09:02
thanks, debo.
Dec 20, 2010 @ 10:34:31
So truE tolu…tanks for dis…
Its a crippling syndrome….always seeking approval..it makes itdifficult to make decisions…cos keep wanting to please everybody…..even wen its frustrating u…..wit GOD …wen d doubts arise…I just lok back @ HIS works in my life….hw HE. has transformed my life….and all doubts melt….HE must love me to have taken me from dat place I was and brought me to dis point…….wit realtionships…ahhh…-km winning on dat front..wit christ…
Tolu tanks for sharing dis
Dec 20, 2010 @ 14:12:21
ayo, you are so true, it is a crippling sydrome , thanks for God’s love , it’s my prayer that the eyes of our understanding will open everyday.thanks ayo, you are a good man
Dec 20, 2010 @ 10:54:44
This is a nice one Tolu keep it up
Dec 20, 2010 @ 14:18:50
sola, thank you. God bless you
Dec 20, 2010 @ 13:56:55
Tolu,
Congrats…. Just keep the flag flying girl. the greatest of LOVE is that of our Creator just as knowing who you are supercedes what other think/believe you are.
Cheers!!!
Dec 20, 2010 @ 14:29:44
Tolu,
What a brilliant piece you have written girl. You are on the right track, you know you better than anyone. That is the first step toward your answer.
God loves you and he understand that you have to go thru those steps to discovery and acceptance of His love for you.
We all must work out our salvation and love alone.
Did I mentioned already i love your blog name too!!
Bravo!!
Dec 20, 2010 @ 14:54:48
buky, thank you so much , salvation is very personal and all of us should run the race with patience , God will strengthen us
Dec 20, 2010 @ 18:25:36
Very insightful post. Cheers
Dec 21, 2010 @ 03:19:54
I’ve been there, I’ve done that and now…I’ve DUMPED that… Ko worth e my sister…
Whilst I do not subscribe to the whole ‘once I please God, that’s all that matters’ talk, I believe so much in the fact that when a man’s ways please the LORD, he will cause even His enemies to be at peace with him… Focus on loving on God more and more and He will sort the rest out for you. Seek ye first…all others shall follow.
BTW, lovely post, lovely blog. Very real!
All the best as you walk in this new light… May god order your steps…
Temi.xoxo
Dec 21, 2010 @ 12:46:18
temi, thanks so much for checking my blog out, i appreciate. like i love to tell everyone I am so into God, though most times it’s am hanging on with an inch , but His grace is always sufficient.
Dec 21, 2010 @ 13:57:27
Oooh I love the way your blog looks! I smiled as soon as I got to the first page – E ku ise oo!! !Praying along that you and your ministry will always be a useful tool in God’s hands, just like I pray and hope for myself and Jollynotes!!
E ku ise gaani!! I love it:)! xxx
Dec 22, 2010 @ 12:54:57
sis, thanks so much for checking rahab memoirs out , God bless you real good .
Dec 21, 2010 @ 15:57:58
It’s true circumstances in life tend to dictate who we are, how to live, and re-shape our God-given characteristics. But we need to go back to Him to help us live and walk as he’d originally ordained through life’s paind and turmoils.
Congrats on taking that step. You’re safe with HIM.
Well done!
Dec 22, 2010 @ 12:56:51
author, thanks , am so convinced that God can never fail no ,matter how hard the stuff of my life may become, am always secure in His hands and am sure He is protective of you too, thanks sis
Jan 17, 2011 @ 09:12:16
written with great perceptiveness !
God bless you, and He loves you always… don’t ever doubt that
Jan 17, 2011 @ 14:23:45
thanks ronke, am so sure about His love that’s why i cannot afford to mess up.
Apr 08, 2011 @ 00:18:45
Girl, I must commend you for opening up like this. Your blog come out very real. lovely too. Keep it up.