This is true life story. It should be about five years ago. I remember it was somewhere around Iju Ishaga in Lagos. I was alone in the car, enjoying the sweet melodies from Commander Ebenezer Obey’s collections. Imagine one of those weekend jigs when all you want to do is unwind.
I just pulled out of a temporary parking on the roadside and about to do a U turn at a small opening on a dualised road. I had checked my side mirror and everything looked safe. The other side of the road was free and my mind was already at my destination. All these happened in a flash.
My foot was on the accelerator, ready to move. The collision would have been heavy. It might even have been fatal because the car coming behind me was on top speed. A second look beyond my shoulder saved me what could have been a calamity. I escaped what would have been a terrible accident that never was. Looking back, all I can say is to God be the glory.
If you underwent training by a driving instructor, most probably you would have heard about blind spot before. If you are one of those who started driving before you got your driving license like me, you may not have heard about it but let me just say beware of the blind spot.
What is a blind spot? A blind spot is an area in your range of vision that you cannot see properly but which you really should be able to see. In driving parlance, it is that spot that is too close for your side mirror to capture any image behind you. The area just behind your shoulders is often a blind spot.
The most instructive part for me is how close the blind spot can be to you but still out of your sight. Many times, we get too fixated on the end goal that we ignore the process. The danger may be at the closest range, just like the blind spot.
At any point when you are about to take a decision that can have major impact on your life, pay attention to the littlest detail. There may be a spot too close to you that you cannot see but that you should seek to see. Didn’t they say the devil is in the details?
The world has become a global village. Everyone is seeking for opportunities wherever they exist. As you opt for life changing opportunities, it is natural for you to be more interested in the positive side of the story but the information you need most may not be on the positive side. It may be hidden in the blind spot, at the closest range.
Growing up, my mother would always tell me that if I want to cross the road, I should look at the left and look at the right, to be sure no oncoming vehicle is too close. Before I do the final crossing, my mother would tell me to look at the left again for the last time. Does this sound familiar? It looks to me like the blind spot, where danger may be hidden.
Let’s put it this way. You are the driver of your own life, aren’t you? Your life is the vehicle. As you race through life at different stages, just before you press the pedal at full swing, look beyond your shoulder for the blind spot, so you don’t crash the vehicle.
©️Akin Oluwadare Jnr.
07 November 2022
