I don’t get in other people’s
business. I don’t have time to. Minding my own business keeps me occupied
enough. Although we live in tell-all world with a lot of people who post all
their business, drama, and announcements all over social media and apparently
have free time in their lives to worry about and clock what other people are up
to, I often wonder, why do people care about things that don’t concern them?
Through a lot of trial and error, I learned when to shut my mouth and hold my
peace. While I don’t mind allowing others to know me through my writing, and my
aim is to be as honest and vulnerable as possible with it, during seasons when
I was empty and going through trials, I used to foolishly make the mistake of
talking too much with people who were as trustworthy as Judas and also vent on
social media via status updates about private things that should’ve never gone
public. When you’re a Christian and dealing with low points or having rough
seasons, and even if you’re not a Christian, it’s wise to confide in a seasoned
and spiritual advisor who can be trusted. And do I even have to remind you why
venting on social media via status updates during challenging seasons in your
life is unwise too? I sure hope not. That level of foolishness makes you look messy
and immature and opens the doors for people to get into your business. No one
can get in your business if you don’t announce and tell everything. When you’re
reckless with fragile things they break. So why be careless with something as
delicate as your own business? Doing so opens you up to vulnerable attacks that
could’ve otherwise been avoided if mindfulness before sharing and thinking
before speaking were considered first. I believe in being nice to everyone yet
mindful to fit in with no one. What I mean by that is that while it’s okay to
have friendly associations and genuine and kind conversation with different
people you meet and encounter, it’s probably not wise to openly share certain
details of your life with people who’ve not yet been properly screened, proven
they can be trusted, and to no longer open up to people who’ve betrayed your
trust. If someone wants you to know something, they'll share. If not, don't get
in other people's business or be preoccupied with things that don't concern
you. And if someone trusts confiding in you, don't betray that trust. Remember,
what goes around comes around and you'll reap what you sow (Galatians 6:7). None
of us is supposed to know everything or need to know everything. Be a bit of a
mystery and keep certain details about your life to yourself. And when you’re
going through challenging seasons, seek trusted godly counsel. Also, consider
investing in journaling, and more importantly, talk to God. He’s more into
what’s going on with you than anyone and you can tell Him everything. And get
into the habit of minding your own business. You’ll be glad you did.
About a year ago, I had a dream my dad wanted to talk to our family about something serious. I wasn’t sure what he wanted to discuss, but I knew it was something I needed to prepare myself for. Around the time after I had this dream, I remember stopping by my parents place and sensing something was going on that they weren’t telling me. I tried to dismiss what I’d been feeling, but I couldn’t shake it. Something serious was happening. As I returned to my home after visiting them one day, I was in my kitchen washing dishes when a heaviness hit my heart like nothing I’d ever felt before. Something’s wrong with dad. That’s what that dream was about. God, what’s going on? As I continued washing dishes, I started crying and praying. Then in mid-spring, my dad held an unexpected family meeting that would change all our lives forever. He hesitated at first, and as his voice started cracking and he started crying, he said, “Well, I wanted to talk to ya’ll to tell you that I have kidney disea...