When I was commissioned, my commanding officer always told me two things which struck a deep chord.
He said;
- Every day, when you go to bed, ask your buddy to fix up your uniform and hang it up on the wall opposite your bed. When you get into bed, look at that uniform and ask yourself: What happens if I don’t wear this uniform and try to enter any army installation? The answer is far from being saluted; you will be stopped at the gate and questioned! And if your buddy wears this uniform and walks past the quarter guard, he will get a salute.So, the salute is not for you; it is for the uniform hanging on that wall, which makes you what you are. But remember, it’s not going to be yours forever! It will go away one day, Prepare yourself for it!
- Every day when you finish work make everyone leave your office. Get up from your chair, walk across to the other side, sit down, and look at your chair. You passed so many orders today, thinking they were very important, but tomorrow, someone else will sit on that same chair and may reverse all your orders, rubbishing them! The orders you passed, thinking you were an important person, were actually the chair that was passing them. And that chair is only temporary! It’s not going to be yours forever! It just gave you some temporary powers, which will be gone the moment you leave the chair! Use the powers given to you judiciously. Use it to write your name in GOLD. Use it to wipe away tears from the faces of the less privileged in our society. Use it for nation-building and not with arrogance to prove your superiority!
May I ask you? What are you using your uniform or chair for today?
Are you using them to bring people down and show them where power lies? Are you using them to help friends and cronies even when it is not their time and because they salute you every morning? Are you using them to divide and rule and create enmity?
What are you using them for?
Remember, the person you are using your uniform or chair to destroy today may be the one who will tomorrow supervise your child, nephew, niece, grandson, granddaughter, stepchild, sister or brother. How would you feel if the same were repeated for all these people?
Think, my brother, my sister, for you do not know tomorrow.
Use your uniform or chair to promote the betterment of all. Be a mother, father, sister, brother, and friend to all.
Hate none, Love all.
Tomorrow is unknown!
by;
LT COL (RTD) MOSES L SANDE
