A LESSON: Onion gaula
By Mwenya Mukuka
We walked distances just to find onion gaula.
This is an onion-like plant but not edible, that was easily found and very popular amongst teenagers. Due to passed-on knowledge this onion gaula was sought after very much by teenagers.
This was before the internet came. I‘m sure this has brought about memories of yester years to many. One can even miss lunch, as we walked distances in search of this highly sought-after plant by almost every teen of our time.
The dot.com generation and those that grew up indoors may ask the use. Well, my friend received a memorable beating after his parents noticed his weird walking as a result of applying onion gaula wrongly. He was walking as though he carried a heavy load between his legs. This plant had a toxic fluid that made my friend’s privates to swell.
As teenagers we could not wait for our time to have adult body features. We wanted to cut time. We could sacrifice lunch in search of onion gaula that we believed could make one grow pubic hair in days and be an adult.
Sadly, the sacrifice of walking distances never showed, because actually onion gaula was a scam. None of us grew pubic hair until God’s time. What a cheat it was!
We continue to see society today sacrificing values and morals for a result that would never come. The cutting corners and skipping the process is at play.
Just like we admired adults’ body features, many today admire friends and family that seem to be making it in life. They are big boys and girls in town. As a result, they have fallen for the temptation of cutting corners to arrive at success like their peers.
As teens we were impatient with time, we thought it was taking long to have pubic hair; today society has refused to be patient too in many areas. There are a number of posts on social media on how to get married in seven days, make seven figure income in 21 days, bring back lost love in 24 hours etc.
Usually, the result of all this is opposite. People have lost money, lives, marriages, opportunities, good heath etc. Just like my friend started limping while walking, many in society are limping for cutting corners. Many are limping emotionally and physically.
Just like my friend was beaten by the parents for applying onion gaula in quest to have pubic hair like adults, the law has beaten many people for stealing, corruption, bribery, robbery and stealing public funds. Today they are behind bars in prison.
May God teach us to be patient.
“When the time is right I the Lord will make it happen,’’ Isaiah 60:22. This is the promise of God. It may seem like it is delaying, but surely it will come to pass. Keep working towards it. He will make you a big boy or girl.
Psalm 127:1-2 says, “Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labour in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.”
Let us pray,
Lord, make us strong to wait upon you and believe that in your time, you will make it happen.
We pray Lord that fill us with the spirit of being patient with time.
Amen.
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