QUOTE OF THE WEEK
‘A day of worry is more exhausting than a week of work,’ – John Lubbock
SHADOWS
A child enjoys his/her shadow
And the butterflies in the skies And the ant crawling all over
Until one strikes he/she knows it’s not a toy
A child admires a candle flame
Till he/she learns it can really hurt
He/she tries to grab everything it’s a sign of curiosity
He/she tries to walk
It means he/she wants to explore
A child imitates
It means he/she wants to learn
A child cries for a reason
And the child grows up and remembers nothing from the past
Only few things he/she was told
All is history to him/her
And he/she laughs when told
Or may be irritated
He/she becomes scared of his/her own shadow
He/she becomes skeptical
He/she avoids falls
And he/she who avoids falls never stands
He/she leaves the very people he/she trusted
The very people who gave him/her courage
The child tries to sit and falls but tries again
The child tries to crawl but falls back on his/her belly but he/she tries again
The child tries to walk but falls on his/her face and gets a bruise but he/she tries again
Life is full of struggles and achievements
No pain no gain
No aim no gain
No gain no fame
So be that person who never loses hope.
By Maimuna Joof,
Gambia Tourism and Hospitality Institute
RESPECT EVERYONE WHO CONTRIBUTES EVEN A PERCENTAGE IN YOUR LIFE
In markets, schools, supermarkets, banks just to name a few, these are places where different people meet for a certain purpose to give and receive services or products. Maybe people are too busy to realize that a little greeting and a smile means a lot. Today I would talk about few places that people meet often and some real life situations I witnessed.
I once joined a taxi going to Traffic Lights and a guy stopped the taxi with the phone on his ear until he reached his stopping point, the only word he spoke with the driver was “Traffic Lights”
The driver said “yes”. He used sign language by waving his arm for the driver to stop.
Imagine someone who just did a service for you and you did not even give them a greeting or thank you. It’s true you are paying him for the ride but he or she deserves some respect. If there were no commercial vehicles, transport would be difficult, let’s see who complains first?
I also went to a supermarket, could you imagine that the conversation between the cashier and customer is for an example after all the calculations the total amount you have to pay and whether you would need a bag or not, that’s it. Not a greeting from the cashier or the customer or even a thank you from both parties. I am a regular customer of this supermarket. I always greet the cashier and she would smile back to me and say, thank you when I am leaving, if each customer does that then we would have better services and happier customers and employees.
The same happens in our local markets some vendors don’t greet before they hawk their goods to you and you don’t greet the lady who sells vegetables or fish. In schools some students only greet their teachers when they are within the school campus, after that they don’t care. When you go to buy cash power it’s the same, some just give the cashier the cash and the receipt and they would say the amount they wish to purchase, that’s it. I normally don’t go there much, but just few days ago I went there and I joined the queue patiently. When I reached the counter I said good evening to the guy behind the counter, handed him the bill and the cash and he gave me a receipt and I said thank you, I left him with smiles.
To conclude we need each other whether you are a minister, a teacher, a cleaner or student you would one day need the service or the product of a fisherman, a vegetable vendor, or a contractor. This life is like a ball, it rolls to everyone as long there is need. No man is an island. My dear brothers and sisters not greeting or not saying thank you is not something you should be proud of. Be an example to our young ones and respect the service rendered to you and the person it came from, this can really boost our trade and make life better for all.
By Maimuna Joof,
Gambia Tourism and Hospitality Institute
I AM NOT AFRAID
Of the finger pointing
Or what my affection shows
All I care is I am myself
Not to be taken as a fool
When I am so cool
I am not afraid to take giant steps
Because I dream higher
My lines keep flowing
I am not afraid to be me
By Maimuna Joof,
Gambia Tourism and Hospitality Institute
