“Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride, he falls …” — 1Timothy 3:6
If I could have just an elevator talk with any of the FRSC marshals, I will salute them for their good works on our roads.
Then I will suggest the inclusion of another symbol apart from the letter “L” that represents “learner”.
This symbol is letter “N” meaning “Novice”. It’s going to be attached to the vehicles of those who have been driving for less than two years.
The most dangerous man on the road is a fresh graduate from a driving school or someone who had just concluded learning how to drive.
A learner drives with caution, being reminded by the “L” symbol, but the moment the symbol is removed, it seems every caution is thrown into the air, and he begins to explore and experiment.
It’s been established that a novice has pride, which goes before a crash.
A third-class graduate with 5 years working experience is more valuable than a first-class fresh graduate.
The man that is driving out shouldn’t despise the one driving in. He has a lot to gain from him. A generation that despises experience is bound to degenerate.
This is the scriptural formula for Experience.
TROUBLE + PATIENCE = EXPERIENCE
A father that tries to prevent his children from every trouble is building a feather – weight generation.
Bringing a butterfly out of its cocoon is not helping it, it’s only destroying it. We don’t look for troubles or pray for troubles, but troubles come anyways. When they come, we must not allow them mar us, but make us.
If need be, we must consciously create a syllabus to help build patience in our younger generation. This “indomie” generation must learn to wait because it is those that wait that become weighty.
My generation learnt patience by breaking melons, picking beans, writing long notes, travelling long distances by road, trekking, washing and ironing, farming, queuing up, amongst others.
Our younger generation doesn’t have to do these, but we must ensure they cultivate the virtue of patience in their own peculiar ways.
“A generation that despises experience is bound to degenerate”.
— Oluseye TAIWO.
