Play or Labor

Oke Iroegbu

Oct 1

In what ways does hard work make you feel fulfilled?

Let's start this prompt with a short poem I wrote some time ago. I call it Play or Labor.

Play green locust, hop
Take a swerve, make a loop
Watch days turn into dismal years

Labor brown ant, toil
Morn and noon, dig the soil,
Gather seeds before bitter winter

An Igbo adage goes thus: aka ajaja na ebute ónú mmanu mmanu, translating to [all] hard-working and soiled hands, will bring a sweet and oily meal. Can you make a connection between the poem and the adage above?

For me, working hard brought me a greater sense of purpose, which led to a satisfying and gratifying life. I have set big tasks for myself each time I beat my previous record, and this helped me build character, discipline, and skills like time management and persistence. I have become focused on my life goals and more resilient.

I'll end with this quote I coined: A hard worker never goes home hungry.