CHAPTER 85
WHEN THINGS FALL APART
Chinua Achebe’s bestselling “things fall apart” novel propagates the phrase “things fall apart, the center can no longer hold.” We’ve been made to believe that when things fall apart, it is because the center is not holding. For this reason, we find some persons to blame for every negative event in our lives especially people we think should be responsible.
We’ve learnt to throw tantrums at government for every wrong event in the country even if these events are the effects of the inadequacies of a few persons. We hear phrases like “the guys at the corridor of power have jeopardized the system.” This “find someone to blame syndrome” has so eaten deep into our mentality as a people that we are now contented with “things are bad because the people at the center are bad.”
Against this school of thought, if things don’t fall apart, the center will not hold. The quality of the “center” is the degree at which “falling” has taken place. You may be asking how I mean. Every great event comes because of some falling apart. Falling apart in this case means a discontentment with a status. This status could be a failed marriage, lost friendship, death of a loved one, unemployment and whatever events that makes a remarkable negative impact in your life.
The center refers to the strive to get over your challenges. It is the giant effect you are making to ensure the falling is not catastrophic. The center also refers to the quality of life that you intend to have, I mean the better life.
Scientific Geniuses understand the principle of falling apart. Old technology and scientific ideas must fall apart or give way for the development and application of modern new technology, which is the center.
Difficult times must need be, they are the falling apart. Times are not difficult because the center, which we expected should hold, does not hold. Rather, the difficult scenarios in our lives abound because the perfect center i.e. solution has to resolve them.
You may be in a financial crisis and your mind’s crossed with the cause of your financial affliction. Your guess may be that some event had brought you down to the state you may find yourself. Well, it is good thought if you can find the cause of your financial struggle. Searching for an event long gone may be like casting shadows. It’s a wrong premise to think upon a misfortune and ponder on the cause when a strong solution i.e. new center is hanging around the corner.
If it’s a job you are hunting for and you have strived hard without avail. You have queried your mind on why the economy is bad and why the government has found no answer to the huge unemployment imbalance. The great deal is that you have been seeing your lack of job as being a result of the failed center. Now think this way. What’s the reason for the creation of jobs? To fit people in right? The government won’t be creating jobs for ghost. They have to create jobs for people who need them. People are thinking of creating jobs and opportunities because there is a need necessitated by unemployment. Job creating entrepreneurs are the centers who are trying to hold the falling apart caused by unemployment.
In the case of a loss of a family or friend, we often resort to tireless weeping especially if those persons have being influential in our lives. We could be so turned apart because of these events that we cannot but resort to asking questions why such lovely nice persons should go at this time. Those persons might have held the position as centers in your life helping you pull the strings that had ensured you never fell too far even when you did fall. When such events happen, it is because a new stronger center must find his way to prominence in your life.
Cast your mind to the riverside or port where ships docks. Ships have an anchor and hook upon which regardless of the strength of the wave, the ship anchors. If you face challenging times, the good news is, there is a strong anchor around the corner. God stands as the uncommon center. He is pulling your strings and saying son, daughter you are not going to fall anyway. Just trust my ability to pull the strings.
Just know this that if things do not fall apart, there will not be a need pulling them together, no need for a center. The center holds because things have fallen apart.