Simba and Samba must have been enjoying their new found freedom. Having been transformed into young adult cats, they are now free to roam around, satisfy their curiosity, learn new tricks, meet new friends... and enemies too.
A year ago, my brother-in law gave me two lovely kittens as birthday gifts. Since we cannot allow pets inside the house, we decided to put them inside a cage displayed in the garage. Day and night, the cage serves as their refuge where they eat and sleep as they are well provided with delicious and nutritious food and drinks. We schedule their playing time and let them get out of the cage to do their thing , but usually, I limit their free time because I am a little bit over protective. As kittens, they seem contented with how secured their lives under our care and protection.
As time passes by, their cage seems getting smaller as they grow. Looking at their eyes, they seem trying to find a way to escape and enter into a new world. Feeling restless and upset, my pets now display some uncontrollable behaviors. They are still the same cute and lovable cats but they clamour for something deep inside.Somehow, I feel the same...
Just like my pet cats, before I am also living within my own cage. The only difference is that my cage is enclosed with yearly salary increases, upgrade of company benefits, substantial profit sharing, recognition and authority. To make it even difficult for me to get out of my cage, it is locked with hectic deadlines, heavy workloads, company policies, work ethics, and loyalty to the hands that feed me .
Though I haven't reached yet the " peak of success" in the corporate sense, I'm on my way to the top. For more than nineteen years, I have been working so hard trying to climb the corporate ladder . The last twelve years were spent as a Bank Officer in a nearby Branch. At first, I feel secure and comfortable. Working in a Bank is such a prestige such that friends and relatives look up to me and seem to envy my status quo. I have no regrets having entered the corporate world for God allowed me to reach different heights, being promoted from one position to a higher level. My exposure to various facets of business and banking operations have prepared me and my husband to secure our future financially speaking. As Bank officer, I came to know people from all walks of life, mostly businessmen sometimes lavishing us with gifts and VIP treatment.
But the thought of leaving a well paying job still comes to my mind. There is something within urging me to quit and so I'm asking myself, " Am I tired of my job?" Is it because of the demands and pressures of my job which most of the times robbed us of our vacation time and a goodnight sleep? Am I just trying to avoid more criticisms, intrigues and competition ? Or maybe I am just concerned with my health. Actually, I should have resigned two years earlier after completing my ten years of service. I have long been wanted to establish my own business or shift to another career. Inspired by the Book " Make a Life Not Just A Living" by Dr. Ron Jenson, I have come to know the right concept of success. But God had intervened in my original plan.As I prayed for the Lord's guidance, He led me in Proverbs 16:9 which says,"The heart of man plans his way but the Lord establishes his step". He set many obstacles to postpone my resignation until it is clear in my mind the more significant reason for getting out of my cage.
When God finally allowed me to quit through a lot of confirmations, I tendered my resignation but I was offered promotion and higher perks just to stay. At that time, a lot of Bank personnel is leaving due to stiff competition outside as our country is experiencing "brain drain". My job as an accountant is getting scarce such that I could probably get whatever my demands and take advantage of the situation, but this time, I was firm in my decision to resign.I'm afraid that by staying a bit, the more I would be detained in my cage.
In today's world, success means achieving any or all of the 5 Ps' namely: power, position, prosperity, prestige and pleasure. These are the things that blocked most of us from getting out of our comfort zone...yet our lives still lacked real and lasting fulfillment. Having tasted the benefits of some of these, I'm sure I could have gotten all these things had I stayed in the company until the retiring age.But I dont want to spend the remaining fruitful years of my life doing things as dictated by others just because I have no choice but to submit to their whims and commands. I know I can accomplish more minus the perks and privileges I am presently enjoying. But please dont get me wrong, I have nothing against my former employer for I owe them a lot.It's just that I wanted more freedom to be myself.
God has a better plan for us. He created us for a purpose and set our lives for a higher mission.Our place of work, our school, even our home, these are training grounds for us to develop our skills and talents.But if we stop pursuing our mission, then we missed the very reason for our existence.
Now as I watched my pet cats, I can feel the joy in their hearts as we all have been emancipated from our respective cages .The cats are now more focus in their goal to catch as many rats hanging around as they can .That's their main job anyway, the reason why they were created.Now they have more chance of making a difference, to help fellow cats in danger, to display and use their skills and talents, to uplift the mood and spirit of their owner, and the list continues...
Just like them, now, I finally have the time to reinvent myself and be more flexible under God's authority ... and to help unlock the cage of others and unleash their power too!!
