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Frozen Bowl

Sunday was so remarkable! We got treated to a concert that marked the end of the Muson Festival. Tomi and I found this baddass roof-top above Shell-Hall just as the sun was setting, and we used it to our utmost advantage to create such blessed art on the Lord’s precious day. But this post is not about Sunday.

It is Friday morning, and we want to eat Rice and Beans, and for the past twenty minutes, I have struggled with removing a frozen bowl of grounded pepper from the freezer. I have pushed and pulled at the cold bowl severally. I have tugged at it too many times, but it won’t bulge.

Ejo, e help mi 😂😭.  Abi how else do you remove a frozen bowl from a freezer? I should turn the freezer off bah? Done that! You’re suggesting I pour some tepid water around to melt the ice holding-on to the bowl, yeah? I just tried that!

Using a Knife?! No luck. I even just went to grab Omorogun (amala-turning-stick) and would you believe that this bowl of frozen-pepper is just here, sitting very pretty, with the smuggest look on its white-plastic face? I’m actually this close to having a tete-a-tete with a bowl of pepper; “It’s no more funny Fam, people are hungry, we actually need to get you fried”. At this point, I think it is intentionally mocking me.

But who has ever experienced this? You are trying so hard to get something, you have pushed and pulled at it with all your youthful strength, over and over again. You are so sure that this thing or this person is yours, and you have put in all necessary techniques, played your best cards to make it yours. “My success depends on this”, you tell yourself. “My happiness depends on this”, you reassure yourself.

When I was in Secondary School, I studied so hard to be able to get into the Pure Economics department in University of Ibadan. Pure Economics didn’t budge o, instead, Educational-Management-with-Economics happened.

Funny thing is, almost the same thing happened during my job-hunt. I always wondered why I wrote KPMG’s,  Accenture, Sahara’s aptitude tests and didn’t pass any of them even after praying so hard, studying so Hard and having the Mustard-seed kind of Faith.

The truth is that, not everything we desire and want is best for us and the moment we begin to accept this and instead of tugging so hard at the bowl of pepper, maybe pick out fresh tomatoes, onions,  rodo and tatashe, to blend, we just might live a happier and easier life.

This is beyond the concept of “Unlimited Wants and Limited Resources in Economics”, this is actually the scope of seeing the blessings in place of the regrets, when things don’t work out as we planned even after giving it our best shot.

Now I realise that if I did not study Educational Management with Economics, I would never have discovered the passion and the power I have to educate, to inspire, to challenge and to change, in some way, the chain-of-thought and the future of some students.

And don’t you agree that maybe, just maybe the FOLABOMI dream would have died a slow, cold, silent death, if I had gotten a paid employment in any of those companies I really thought I wanted? I wouldn’t have had the many opportunities to dash to Yaba market from work at 5:35pm and I would never have had the honour of satisfying the clothing needs of over a hundred (100) women now.

I also realise that our frozen bowl of pepper just needed some time to defrost, ’cause we finally got it out. Who is ready for some STEW?

56 thoughts on “Frozen Bowl

  1. I hear this and I feel it sis but the outfit? It have steal me away so now I’ll have to long press the refresh button on my brain to remember what I just learned.

    1. 🤣🤣🤣 jeez don’t I just love how you Express yourself?! 😀😘😘 thanks for stopping by, Bamise and thank youuuuuuuuu for sharing your thoughts dear 😊😊🧡

  2. You write so beautifully, loved the stew part @ the end most 😂😂 funny how our encounters with things or people teach us stuff, just look @ how a frozen bowl of pepper taught us how to be patient. Love the pictures btw 😍😍😍.

    1. 😀😊😊😊 Thank youuuu my darling.. you know?! I was honestly close to being frustrated by the bowl of pepper. .

  3. I always give my best in all I do, but if it doesn’t turn out the way I want, I smile and I turn away every regret… I see blessings either ways… That keeps me moving and anyways before I forget… I want some stew… Jareeh..

  4. I totally agree. Made an interesting read! Smiled and imagined all through. I enjoy reading your blog posts! Looking forward to the next.

    1. Sister 😍🤩🧡🧡🧡🧡.
      Thank you so much.
      I intend to make it more consistent… I look forward to you sharing your thoughts ♡♡♡

    1. Time + Patience + Consistency = Success 💯💯💯
      I love how you highlighted what you learnt from this post in an equation!
      Hahaaa! Thank you for reading Buchi.
      Lmao 🤣🤣🤣 Everywhere STEW !

  5. “Not everything we desire is best for us.. There are other opportunities staring at you in the eye waiting for you to make good use of them.” Thanks 🙏 for the write up.. I had a good tine reading.

  6. This is just brilliant. Pure class. Excited you crossed the 100 customers mark, who says we can’t hit 1000 by 31st December?

    1. Now singing 🎶🎵🎤🎤 “I believe in Miracles, where you from, you sexy thing, you sexy thing!” 🎶🎵🎶🎵🎶 😂🤣🤣😂😂. Amen oooo. Huge amen! Thank you Charles.. for this, and for your support 😊

  7. “…pick out fresh tomatoes, onions, rodo and tatashe, to blend, we just might live a happier and easier life.”
    You’re absolutely right. Sometimes looking elsewhere makes one happier.

    1. Yessssssss! Sometimes a fresh start, a fresh method is all we need… maybe a fresh perspective.. ‘Fresh’ does it sometimes. Thank you for reading and sharing the post with others Femi 😊

  8. This just confudently assured me that I am in the right place and stage of my life, and if need be for anything to change, then it would be orchestrated by God.
    I have applied in so many marketing companies but no luck. Then I got one but as a Direct Sales Agent with a stipened as salary. All I do is go out identify prospects, follow up and close deals. sighs*?.how tedious! I know right!! But with this job, I have time time to go to the market to buy fitness accessories, I coach in two different gyms and I hold personal and private classes.
    I was always complaining about my job. And I knew I could get a better place and earn more. But the question is would the time to follow my passion be there? Then, I stopped struggling or fighting and I told God whenever you want to take me to another phase in my career, I will be here because I know you will come through for me.

    Oh..Tolu! How I love your outfit. 😘😘😘

    1. Ah Mercy! In short, you’re a walking inspiration! My dear, Every disappointment actually has a profound blessing for us, somewhere in between. Thank youuuuu for sharing your undiluted story with us…. Love your passion and tenacity! You’re doing a terrific job with Mervic’s Fitness World! We see what you do boo, and we are so inspired 🙌👏👏🙌💜💜.

  9. Sometimes the wait for the frozen bowl to defreeze or defrost can be exhausting….. Patience does it. Great and relatable post. ❤️

  10. So many times we want something so bad and we just want to have it at that moment whereas it is not what God wants for us. He just sits there watching us and waiting for us to realize his plan which is always the best for us. My life is a testimony of this piece and am grateful that I allowed God to take the wheel on time.

    1. Hhhmmmm! Yes! You’re absolutely right! Thank God for you! Not everyone has the opportunity to testify about it. Thank you so much for sharing.

  11. Wow! My sweetie as I fondly call you, this write up reminded me of the time I was hunting for job, as in I had to name myself “job hunter”.
    I actually once go in search for jobs as in jobs but to no avail… I went to kpmg, water cooperation, delloite, Von(voice of Nigeria) but all to no avail… It was then I realized it is not all you desire come your way not until you follow your instinct, look at what you love doing and get started with it……. I really love this write up and your outfit looks nice….
    Love you sweetie..

    1. Thank youuuuu my darling 😀😆😍😍😍😍. Yes, so true! Sometimes one needs to just let go and let God. Thank you for sharing your thought love. ♡♡♡♡

  12. folabomi, exceedingly pleasant to read all these in different styles. Expecting more from you. Best regards.

    1. 😆🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️ oh myyyyy, thank youuuu sirrr 😊😊 exceedingly humbling to have you read this.

  13. Lol… please how long did it take to defrost. Love this write up and I totally relate to striving so hard for something and things not going as planned. P.s That’s a gorgeous dress

    1. 😂🤣 not too long. You know we already poured water and all around it. Thank you for reading and dropping your thought Victor.
      Re- P.s: Thank youuu , I’m still shamelessly begging for a sketch 😂🤣

  14. That smile? It can sure heal a sick person,
    Tolu, I know that top will fit well on me,
    For the skirt, the waist might not fit in well so I give up on that and the shoes, me love it!
    In all you look AWESOMEly BEAUTIFUL.

    For Frozen Bowl, I love the way you play with words there, the Frozen Bowl, your education, your job haunting and your present career, how they all fell in line is amazing and inspiring.

    I personally love reading your write-ups because of the way you uses life happenings to teach and inspire others. Keep it up dear

    1. 💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽 Thank youuuuuuuu so much. Truly the blouse will fit if you’re a size 6 😀😆. I’m so glad you can relate to this post.
      Me I always look forward to reading from you too.
      Thank you 😊🤗🤗

  15. Nice write up Tolu! Sometimes God’s plans for us are far different from ours. But the society we found ourselves makes us agitate for things that will take us nowhere. Looking forward to be part of the folabomi signature.

    1. Hi Wemimo, your comment about the pressures of our society is just apt; especially when it comes to marriage, my dear.

      It is such a pleasure to have you here! I’m guessing this marks your first visit to our blog, yeah? If yes, we are rolling out the carpets for you 😀🎉🎉🎊🎊🎉🎉🎊🎊🎉🎊🎊🎋🎋🎊🎉🎉🎉🤸‍♀️🤸‍♂️🤹‍♂️🤹‍♀️🎉🎊. Oh, you write too?! It’ll be fantastic to have you share your ideas through posts on the blog. Please let me know. 😊🤗

  16. I totally love the Frozen Bowl analogy. This post is just right on time too.

    Methinks everyone has had their fair share of Frozen Bowl. Its very natural for us to want our dreams, plans and aspirations play out in reality just the same way it does in our heads regardless of whether or not it aligns with God’s long term plans for our lives.
    And, oh! When the eagerness to remove the frozen bowl takes us to a place of patience, we may sometimes just give up.

    Personally, I’m learning to lean towards God and trust that what He wants for me and where he’s taking me to is just the best.

    1. My dear Mbetobong John, haven’t you just hit the nail on the head?! I’m learning too! I think you got yourself a partner-in-learning 😀😆.

      Plus, yes, congratulations on yiur first visit to the blog 💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽🙋‍♀️🎊🎊🎉🎊🎉🎊😀😀. We hope you stick around . 🤗

  17. Whether the frozen bowl bulges or never, or whether soon or later, those who trust God’s heart know that all things work together for good for them.

    I really enjoyed your writing.

    1. Thank you, Yanju! Yes, this is my Life-motto, cause everything works together for good ! God knows, God sees it! He’s on it.

  18. The pick out fresh tomatoes, onions, rodo and tatashe, to blend, we just might live a happier and easier life.” and ”the frozen bowl of pepper just needed some time to defrost” made me realize that las las we are all going to be alright because God already has our life planned perfectly
    I just pray we get patient enough to trust the process .

    1. Lmao! My dear, las las ooo, a ma wa alright! Yes babe, God has got us big time!. Hmmmm..the necessary patience.. amen.. amen.. Thanks for this dear

  19. hahaha. I definitely understand that ability to dash out to Yaba by 5:35 and those James Bond photoshoots during break period.

    This just reminded me of a Gladwell quote: “What is clear in hindsight is rarely clear before the fact”. Everything makes sense in retrospect, I sometimes feel like it is the mind’s way of comforting us but it truly does add up when reasoned backwards.

    1. You get!!!!!! 🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂🤣😂😂 “What is clear in Hindsight, is rarely clear before the fact!” This is already a favourite quote cause it summarizes it all.

    1. Hahaa! Fate brought you here 😆😊 Welcome to our blog. Thank youuuuu for reading and for dropping this lovely message ♡.

  20. Just what I needed, right now that I have been denied a job after getting to the last stage of their recruitment (like 7 stages o) but I think fresh tomatoes, rodo and onion(we don’t use tatshe) is all I need. I want to buy, do you know where it is sold?

    1. Hahaha. Baby girl, the best is coming. Just relax. I know you know this but let me just re-echo it, God is planning an amazing package for you. Trust me.

  21. Yes ma’am, hands raised for some stew… Lol. Change the freezer already to a frost free😀…thank me later. I think I now know economics by reading through your content!. Nice read again leye ! She’ll hall all the way😀

  22. First time here and this is first post I get to read.
    It’s quite amazing and inspiring from frozen pepper bowl to real life lessons learnt.
    Thanks for this @folabomi

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