One of the worst moments is to be caught unaware. I mean,
caught unaware in a rain. It’s very discomforting, disgusting, disturbing and
disconcerting, especially when you’re soaked to the panties and beyond. Woe
betides you if you’re a lady and you’re accidently caught in a rain wearing a
sanitary pad. Never mind that I can imagine your worst case scenario, I am
naturally observant. That just on the lighter side but seriously caught in a
rain can be very messy.
I have had the opportunity to observe from a distance and
imagine how good it feels like being under an umbrella in a raining weather,
when a lady walked pass me in a rain. The feeling was that of comfort, safety, security
and gleefulness. In the circumstances that I noticed the importance of the umbrella,
I didn’t need any scholar to tell me that the umbrella symbolized protection,
security and safety.
Then the situation got me thinking. Thinking about the intrinsic
denotation (meanings) that lie in some social activities and the symbolic significance
they suggest. “If only that umbrella could protect and shield the lady who
walked past me from the discomfort of the rain which entirely messed me up,
then the umbrella must indeed be a symbol of protection and security”, I said
to myself. “No two ways about that”, I reiterated.
I felt that was not enough to draw a conclusion as that will
make it hasty, so I further contested and probed my assertion to ascertain its
veracity. This took me back into time, recalling a gruesome and weird
experience I had during an extremely sunny day in a long Tubani(northern
delicacy) queue. Whereas I was profusely sweating and my bones almost roasting,
a lady who stood next to me didn’t show any sign of torture by the scorching sun.
Over her head was an umbrella, and then again the blessing of the umbrella was
obvious. It provided protection and security against the hardship of the sunny weather.
I had since been whipped into the orientation and mindset
that wherever there’s an umbrella, there’s bound to be comfort, safety and
security against all odds. Those of us who know the significance of the
umbrella would readily choose it over anything else if it’s used to represent
an idea (emblem).Perhaps that was the reason for which Ghanaians chose to stand
under a colourful umbrella from 7th December 2012 till 7th December 2016 when
they will have the opportunity to reconsider that decision. Apparently it was a
wiser decision to make considering the comfort, safety and the warmth it
promises.
Ironically, everything around us flaws our reasoning, hopes,
aspirations, anticipation and of course my personal assertion. Our reasons and
motivations for choosing an umbrella have literally been betrayed, so much so
that we’re not safe, we’re not secured, we’re not protected, and we’re not
comfortable. We’re drenched down to the panties and our bones are burning even
under the colourful umbrella. I hope you get what I mean; if not, then you must
go and take a course in Ghana emblem studies or “emblemography” of Ghana.
Justifiably, a leaking umbrella loses its usefulness and a stormy
weather renders a useful umbrella useless. The situation in which we find ourselves
as a country gives me reason to believe that the umbrella is torn between some
sort of a disjunctive syllogism;either it's leaking or the weather is stormy.
I still can’t find a place to place the blame. In either case,
there can be a way out because all hope isn't lost yet. Granted that the umbrella is
leaking then we can mend its leakages. And if it’s the case that the umbrella
is facing a stormy weather, then it’s obvious it cannot serve its purpose. In
that case the best thing is to try an alternative, perhaps use a rain coat. The
worst case scenario which is even way out of the options is for us to have a
leaking umbrella in a stormy weather. That would be a hopeless case. I am very
positive and I believe that IT’S EITHER THE UMBRELLA IS LEAKING OR THE WEATHER
IS STORMY.
If an umbrella fails to protect us from rains and to shield
us from sun rays, I wonder if an elephant can.
1 comment:
That was a masterpiece. My boss
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