There is this guy who usually comes to our house to see my father, and of all the guys who do come to see my father, I took notice of this particular guy. He looks careless, unbothered yet he is hardworking and honest. In fact, he has a phone without a sim card.

The first time I saw him he was barefooted and I asked to know where his shoes were. He said it was not with them. I let him be at least it was the first time we met and I have limits to questions even for the sake of courtesy.

The next time he came around I noticed he wore slippers and jokingly I asked why he wore slippers this time around instead of coming barefooted like the other time, he laughed. As time went on, I decided to create a pseudo friendship between us and while it shouldn't matter, he's younger and of a different faith.

He came around one certain time, it was Friday, and saw him dressed so cute probably for Jummah (Friday) prayers I was impressed and I said he looked good he smiled but to my amazement, he wore the beautiful dress on slippers. I was puzzled and asked why “With 1500 you can get a good Palm shoe,” I told him, and all of a sudden he put on a serious face.

He said “not like I don't have money to buy. I have bought shoes of 12K, 8K, 6K, 4K, and more but they were all stolen, So I decided to stop wearing shoes completely. In fact, they're lucky I now bought slippers. Even if they want to steal it's only slippers.

For an average Nigerian, buying a shoe of 12K, 8K it's actually not cheap, I can empathize with him because it's like he invested in it, and all of a sudden he lost it so cheaply. So each time he wants to get another one if-then reminisces about the sad experiences he had with theft and he decides not to wear shoes again (which isn't sensible).

Like my young friend, life has stolen several things from us, it stole our virginity, broke our heart in the disguise of love, for some people it took away their parents & loved ones unexpectedly.

Some have invested a lot in their relationships and they got heartbroken and left traumatized, they gave it another try but it became worse and because of the experiences they have finally given up on love and relationships and are now walking barefooted.

Some people have given a lot into their businesses, ministries but then it keeps deteriorating, and seems there's no viable or noticeable progress, and all of a sudden we have given up and are now walking barefooted.

Others have invested so much (read a lot) but when results are released it looks like their efforts were wasted (stolen) and as result, they now leave it to luck (walking barefooted)

A lot of times we have decided to deprive ourselves of what we deserve because of our past experience(s) and like my friend we end up walking barefooted for the fear of repetitions. We have indirectly let our past rule our present by proxy; each time we want to get into a new relationship and we remember the past experience we then choose to be single not because we needed time but for fear of the past.

Holding unto the past will only deprive you of the joy of today and the promises of a beautiful tomorrow. Let go of the past, get a new shoe, and step into glory.

Musa Affos is a Blogger & Social Media Activist

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