My Lagos Beach Story
For someone who grew up in Lagos, born in Lagos, and by that right claim to be a Lagosian, visiting the beach for the second time in my twenty-something years is close to being a shameful thing if you agree with me but it is what it is.
While growing up, I was always scared of going to the beach because of countless stories of how some people visited the beach and got missing, only for their lifeless bodies to be found at the bank of the waters usually as left-over of aqua creatures.
It is quite surprising to me how fishes loved by humans dearly actually feed on the human body and the likes, and we eat them with so much appreciation and satisfaction. Lol, if we are to check through what we consume, many of us will rather die of starvation than to eat all of this nonsense but thank God for God.
Back to my story, my first visit to the beach was in 2018 and it was the Oniru Beach at Victoria Island. I deliberately withheld the information of my destination from my mum because she will definitely not permit me to visit the beach, so I told my siblings instead and made them promise not to reveal it to my mum. The revelation happened when I got back and everybody was fine after it happened at least I was back home safe and sound. 😉
I had a swell time with my friends at the beach and I looked forward to repeating the tradition months later. But the repeat did not happen till about two years later at a different location and with a different person.
Just like before I had a swell time catching up with my friend, talking about our crazy moments from school days, our plans, dipping my feet in the sand, and playing in the waters even though I was still scared of drifting away in the water. I love being in the water even though I don’t know how to swim yet, and I don’t mind living on an island even though I am scared of floods and natural disasters relating to water.
We parted ways with a promise to keep in touch.
While meditating on the visit, something struck my heart thanks to the Holy Spirit. Just as it was possible for me to have lived the bulk of my life in Lagos and never visited the beach till in my twenties, the same way we can live in the world and not operate on the pattern of the world. It is absolutely possible to live according to God’s pattern perfectly.
You don’t have to be a mix of God and the world, you can be a pure breed of God who has never and who will never have a mix of worldliness.
It is possible to be a Lagosian and not visit the beach. You can decide to be set apart from the dealings of the world and you will not die neither will the world end. The decision is yours to make.
P-S: This post is not to cancel the idea of visiting the beach and enjoying the atmosphere.
Love from my heart to yours. 😍
