ASK THE BOSS with Michael BUSH Edition 18 +Guest of the Week

Poser(s) of the Day:

a) Are there aspects of life that are beyond our perception and understanding?

b）How do I know whether it’s time to continue holding on, or to let go?

c）Does nature shape personality more than nurture?

d）If money cannot buy happiness, can anyone be truly happy with NO MONEY?

Introduction: I am excited to return with yet another entry on this Social & Emotion Re-engineering Series, even as I apologise for last week. Technical difficulties made the Friday Column to be published the following day. I know too many of you missed out on it thinking it failed. No, it didn’t: check last Saturday for edition 17 of ASK THE BOSS.

2.0 If life ever threw stuff at you that you don’t understand, I am here to meet minds with you twenty four seven. I am here to help you decode the miasma of perplexity. You know how it is, don’t you? A problem shared, they say, is half solved

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3.0 My email inbox is brimming with your concerns. Rest assured that I shall field them, one by one. I trust Heaven to imbue me with both the wisdom and knowhow to navigate your mainly tricky enquiries. Whether that situation likes it or yes, our input here and now shall make it better, never worse!

3.0 Today, it’s our sister, Citizen Godswill John, writing from my home state of Akwa Ibom who wins pride-of-place bragging rights. I need first though, on behalf of The BUSH Clan, to register our condolences over her broadcast journalist sister, Patience. Sadly, we also cannot but mention at this juncture another Patience, a bigger Patience. Our hearts go out to Gov. Umo Eno, the First Family and all of us in Akwa Ibom state on the sudden loss of our First Lady and Mother, Pastor Patience.

4.0 Of course, the First Family and our state shall survive these times. We are comforted. We are healed. We are strengthened.

5.0 Death cannot defeat us, because our Lord and Master and Saviour already defeated the toothless bulldog two thousand and twenty four years back in time. Death is not the end. When saints leave this realm, they go straight to the higher and better realm, to be with God. Now, having reminded and reassured us, believers, that there’s a better life post-death, let’s get back to intercepting what missile(s) Citizen John launched at me?

6.0 ‘THE BOSS, thank you for your great work. I believe God can also use you to help me. My questions are:
‘a) Are there aspects of life that are beyond our perception and understanding?

‘b) How do I know whether it’s time to continue holding on, or to let go?

‘c) Does nature shape personality more than nurture?

‘d) If money cannot buy happiness, can anyone be truly happy with NO MONEY’?

7.0 My Take: My, my, my! Citizen wants this ASK THE BOSS session to be a philosophy class. Let’s meet her there, shall we? Surely, a thousand and one aspects of nature defy understanding and explanation.

8.0 For instance, don’t you bother about God and how He must have come about? What about your own life, don’t you nearly run mad just thinking where and who or what you were before dad and mum got together to manufacture you?

Don’t you lose sleep seeing how unfair and partial life is? E.g., girls who keep themselves until marriage struggle all the way to find, and sometimes die sans, husbands let alone children; whereas their campus roommates, their exact opposites, who rose to the status of double four-star generals in abortion and in runs (whatever that means), easily find the best husbands and go on to run hyper-successful homes?

9.0 My dear Citizen, look: life is America Wonder; the more you look, the less you see. In the circumstance, I advise you do as I do: flow along, understand and explain what you can and flee from those other issues that raise your BP for nothing. Next, knowing when to keep holding on or to let go is another catch-22. Most times when you hold on tight, you would at the end look like a stupid fool (forgive the coinage); at other times when you didn’t, the world and you would never stop mocking your impatience.

10.0 So, what do you do? Hold on all you can, but pray sans ceasing. As you pray, watch out for the day you no longer have peace holding on. On that day -that same second- let go: it is finished in your favour!

11.0 Going forward, Citizen Godswill John, the question of which between nature and nurture is more important in human development is neither here nor there. Nature is supreme, all-round. If nature created you a dunce and predestined you to end up in Dundee United, no amount of nurture can disunite you therefrom to unite you with sense. However, a combination of nature and nurture is a better ad hoc talisman!

12.0 I regret that your last question is slightly vague. Is no money to mean as we say in Nigeria where public office holders sitting on billions would say there’s no money to do the people good and as rich husbands would tell their wives and children when they don’t want to spend? Whatever, money is inevitable and indispensable and fundamental. But, money has annoying limitations: it cannot bribe death, or buy happiness.

13.0 Yet, you and I need all the money we can get good; that is, in a good way. Let’s keep away from blood and such other evil monies, because their conclusion is gloom. As to whether one can ‘be truly happy with NO money’, my answer is yes. However, I’d hasten to add that my family and I would rather we were truly happy with money!

14.0 My dear Citizen, I hope with those few points of mine I have convinced you that ASK THE BOSS is the it. Many thanks for writing in. Don’t hesitate to fire back if there’s any matter arising. You too who are reading this now can avail yourself of this platform.

15.0 It is quite easy and free. If you have any puzzle in your life, send me an email or two today complete with your name and portrait. If too private, please plead anonymity. I shall bring a response here in the open.

God bless Nigeria!

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