Simple not compound eye (First Tool)

We expounded on the difference between a compound and simple eye in our last article. We saw why the simple eye works best for human beings as opposed to the housefly's compound eye that lands it quite often onto and into trouble sites. In the cover photograph of this article, we illustrate the stark incompatibility between the two items, one a product of the simple eye and the other a user of the compound eye.  As you look at the photograph, ask yourself the following questions,

Can I let a fly onto my delicious well grilled Zambian Quail with Nshima/Ugali (maize meal)?

If that sounds outrageous, why should I let it’s way of seeing things (compound/ unfocused eye) be my way of seeing and treating things?

Our obvious answer should be a resounding 'No' backed by the right actions. 

What does having a simple eye entail? It simply means you should look at things simply, that’s it. You simply should not complicate your life by giving it too many details, giving it excessive attention- demanding goals and accessories that are unnecessary. It means you are content with what makes your life realistically comfortable not burdened with so many unnecessary over exaggerated material pursuits and belongings. The good things of life are good, but anything in excess is a compounder of problems; anything above its required levels just complicates your life more than the comforts it is thought to bring. It is delusional to think plenty and abundance makes a man/woman happy, absolutely delusional. As humans, we just need what we need, the rest our systems just excrete in one way or another or they stay idle as they gradually decay away.

Like many of you, I at one point fell prey to the folly of having several phone lines which meant having several phones before the double lined handsets came in. It was common to see men and women alike carrying a couple of phones in their hands, pockets and handbags. Many attractive but delusional reasons were flaunted for the trend; from saving phone bills by calling everyone on your contact list using their preferred network to better rates in certain networks, all these until we begun doing the actual calculations and realizing how much we were lying to ourselves. Not many carry more than at most two handsets these days.

Likewise, I know of many businessmen who had several Tax Identification Numbers in the name of not putting all their eggs in one basket. Another self- deceiving reason was to not pay high taxes only to realize, for many, that the little amounts paid here and there and accounting costs amounted to more than handling just one or two accounts for your business.

How many trousers and shirts do you have? How many handbags and shoes do you posses? How many skirts and blouses are in your bedroom and dressing cabin? Do you utilize all the houses and properties you posses not as rentals? How full is your kitchen and dining with utensils that you either never or very rarely use? Yet we keep ignoring our simple eyes and borrowing a housefly’s compound eyes that wants everything just to sink in shit and soil itself, yes we buy more and more, acquire more and more till death does us part from the endless acquisitions. It is a sad reality that we do force on ourselves the unfocused compound eye that ignores necessity and slaves for 'life complicaters' that are attractively baptized the good things of life, things that complicate our daily lives, making us busy amassing what we do not really need. Simplify your eye and your life is simplified!

Caution: Living a simplified life, having a simplified eye which leads to a simplified quest for life’s good things does not mean lowering our standards to petty living, NOT AT ALL. A cup of coffee in a clean, neat ambient coffee shop is a good simple life if we can afford it, a decent well kept furniture in your study or living room is just fine, and fine cotton snow white shirt or blouse is blissful and heavenly inspiring just by the look. Working to achieve a level of income that beautifies your life is not a sin nor crime, the problem comes when it becomes the major preoccupation to the extent that you become a slave to it, amassing level after level to the extent that you have not even time to enjoy the fruits of your laboring!

Enlighten yourself (Second tool)

Have you ever been in that awkward situation where you discover that the position you held on something, a way of doing things you defended so furiously and so zealously was actually wrong? Have you ever realized that what you might be complaining about to a subordinate or child is actually a result of your own instruction or them imitating you? Have you ever accused someone and been so sure of the blame against them only to realize that it was actually not true? Have you ever been so convinced of a person’s innocence irrespective of all the warnings from well meaning friends and relatives only to realize too late that you were actually dealing with the devil himself? Whether you openly acknowledge ever experiencing these scenarios or not is not the point here, the purpose of the rhetorical questions is to emphasize the need for continuous self enlightenment. As the saying goes with regard to homes, so too it does when it comes to our own selves; there is always room for improvement.

The more we learn about different situations and how to handle them, the more we shall always have the requisite knowledge and skills to resolve problems before they are compounded into more complex forms.

The more we give ourselves the gift of time and effort to understand the actual situation, to enlighten ourselves with the facts about a problem, the easier the solutions will come to mind; yes a problem clearly articulated is a problem solved, no man ever effectively confronts and resolves a problem he does not understand.

Knowledge executed properly is power, and that is why enlightening ourselves as broadly as we can is a big asset in the game of NOT compounding problems.

There are numerous ways of enlightening ourselves in this high tech information era: internet search engines such as Google are always at your finger tips to provide knowledge on nearly any subject you might be having difficulties with. Reading good books is probably the richest enlightenment source that Heavens has placed in the possession of man, this can be online or through hard copies, can be journals, brochures and even audio visuals. In this time and era, we are spoilt for choice on enlightenment sources.

Caution: With so much information available, it is important that one is clear on what they want to achieve and where they want to be in order to be able to choose the right information. Otherwise, the extensive tirade of ever new information may be more of confusion than help in averting this subtle habit of compounding problems.

Reflection refines and defines (Third Tool)

In a common Ugandan joke involving its former head of state and one of his main advisors, it is alleged that Mr Iddi Amin Dada wanted to change the county’s name to ‘Iddi’; in other words, he wanted to name the country after himself. Nearly all the advisors allegedly agreed to this weird idea for fear of losing their lives. But Mr. Maliamungu reflected on how best he could avert this from happening, as he reflected, one thought after another came to mind and was refined and properly defined in his head. Follow the conversation that ensued when the president requested for Maliammungu’s opinion:

Maliamungu: Mr. President, have you ever heard of a country called Cyprus?

Mr. President: (interrupting)what my friend, does Cyprus have to do with the decision to change my country’s name to her president’s name‘ Idi’?

Maliamungu: The people of Tanzania are called Tanzanians, The people of Uganda are called Ugandans and your friends from England are called the English

Mr. President: Yes Maliamungu my friend get to the point

Malimungu: So your Excellency sir, if the people of Cyprus are called Cypriots, it means the people of a country called ‘Idi’ will be called IDIOTS including you Mr. President so, so it might be better to leave the name as it is, Uganda, so that my president is not called Idiot, you are a brilliant man not an Idiot sir.

Mr. President: Cheers to Maliamungu, he is the most intelligent person in Uganda, more intelligent than all except me field Marshal, Dr. Iddi Amin Dada, Conqueror of the British empire and life president of not Idiots but Ugandans

The joke is said in various forms and modifications but bottom line, the character named Maliamungu reflected for a moment and in the process his mind sorted the different approaches that came to mind; such thoughts must have included the implication of going against such a president’s wish, what would befall a man who stood in a dictator’s path, the dangers of living him to continue with the idea, etc. But reflection helped him find the best possible way to tell his boss the truth and avoid the riots and murders and embarrassments and all such evils that would have resulted if the comical but no jokes president’s alleged intention was to pass through.

In your personal life, career, entrepreneurial and community life, you will meet situations that call for speedy decisions and actions, other times you will meet situations that do not call for speedy decisions and actions;

whatever the situation, always reflect to refine and clearly define

the path and decisions you will follow because the choice you make

will always either compound or lead to the solving of your problems.