Mindviewers Stories

Today, I attended a wedding for the first time in two years. It felt refreshing and different because everything about the process seemed new to me. From the exchange of vows to the prayers, the entire ceremony was a learning experience. We danced with the couple, gave offerings, and celebrated their union in the church.

After the church service, we moved to the reception, which was in a building just next to the church. The hall was well-decorated, and everyone seemed excited to continue the celebration. Drinks were soon distributed, and that’s when things took an unexpected turn. To my surprise, the main drink being served was beer. I couldn’t believe it. Just a few moments ago, we were praying and celebrating in a sacred space, and now beer was the drink of the occasion.

What shocked me the most was the way the drinks were being shared. A man sitting beside me was almost forced to take a bottle of beer even after politely refusing. The person sharing the drinks told him, “This is not the church,” as if that justified the behavior. The man boldly declined again, clearly uncomfortable with the pressure. It seemed like there was no regard for God and the occasion we had just witnessed in the church.

It was heartbreaking to see how quickly people could switch from a place of worship to such casual disregard for the values we were celebrating. I left the event disappointed.

What happened yesterday still makes me laugh when I think about it. I was on my way home from work when I noticed a woman selling star fruit by the roadside. I decided to stop and buy some. After choosing what I wanted and agreeing on the price, I brought out a 1,000 Naira note to pay. But as soon as I pulled the money out of my bag, a small boy grabbed it from my hand and tried to run away.

Before he could get far, a very muscular man who had been standing nearby stopped him. He grabbed the boy with so much force and even lifted him off the ground. I couldn’t stop laughing at how the situation was playing out. The man seemed ready to teach the boy a serious lesson, but I felt sorry for him. Maybe the boy was just hungry, I thought.

The 1,000 Naira was returned to me, and I quickly paid for my star fruit. I asked the woman to add a few extra pieces so I could give them to the boy. It felt like the right thing to do, and I wanted to let him know I wasn’t angry. The muscular man stood there the entire time, making sure the boy didn’t try anything else. He even gave him a few light knocks on the head to warn him not to misbehave again.

In the end, we all laughed about it, and the situation ended peacefully. The boy got some star fruit, the muscular man seemed satisfied he had done his part, and I left with my money and my fruit.