Heart2ink by Amie

Everyone is fighting something we know nothing about, even when they fake the smile to avoid unnecessary questions. Life is already hard and so we need to be very kind to anyone we come across. A significant portion of the world’s population is suffering with depression. What things do you feel are the most helpful to those people in fighting the blues? One thing I've found out is that words have so much power, which is why we all should learn to bridle our tongue. You have no idea how many times the words you've said to someone rings a bell in their head and even add to their struggles. It cost nothing to be kind not just in deeds but in words as well. Nothing beats a  Listening ear , many people just love to be heard without being judged. I have noticed that people try to hide what's bottling them inside because many people do not genuinely care, it's either they are listening to use it against them later in the future or they are listening to put a blame on them why ...

Technology has made life a lot easier, a lot of people are taking advantage of it and many are choosing a remote job over an - in-person job for various reasons. Take for instance in my country, the high cost of transportation, and the traffic jams are some of the few reasons many would prefer to work virtually rather than physically. If I could be a virtual fashion designer, without a second thought I would have grabbed the opportunity, but sadly my area of specialisation requires I am physically present. Some fashion illustrators have the opportunity to work virtually as all they need to do is draw fashion styles using their personal computer and send them to the fashion home. The only way I could work virtually as a fashion designer is to be an online tutor but I have offline students to teach as well which makes it very impossible to do. For any person who would prefer to work remotely, I have thought of alternate working ideas that are quite seamless, enjoyable and lucrative. Cont...

"We are just fine faces with sad and heavy hearts." I saw this quote somewhere on a wall some years back, and I agreed with it. Have you noticed how many people shy away from talking about their mental health? They hate to be tagged "out of their mind" or hate to be stigmatized, so they live in self-denial until it gets out of hand. Even when you ask people how they are doing, they hide under the shell of "I'm fine." Whereas there's a lot to talk about, they aren't fine, their hearts are heavy, and they are sad on the inside. I believe that, just like we can easily talk about our physical health when we notice any symptoms like "headache," "cold," and the like, we should make it easy for anyone who wants to talk about their mental health to do so, and of course, just like we often go for check-ups, it's not out of place to check how our mental health is faring as well. My country, for instance, can make...

I am keen on learning from nature as some plants have taught me the true meaning of RESILIENCE. Sometimes good things comes from unexpected places and situations. Sometime ago, I tried to plant the African Basil (scent leaf) in my compound but they never grew, I did all within my power to ensure I had that plant in my compound. Their scent and the benefits of taking that plant endeared me to it, but when it refused to grow, I gradually began to lose interest in it. After a while, I noticed something started springing up from the ground when I had stopped paying attention, turns out to be the African Basil and I was excited. I heard they aren't water friendly, that means they die easily when the soil is very wet, so I was quite skeptical whether to wet them regularly or not, altogether I just ignored it and didn't really bother wetting it regularly since the land wasn't really a dry land in the first place. After some months, I noticed how they bloomed and grew fresher and g...

Life is truly uncertain, Jade showed me a picture of this little fox who looked betrayed and abandoned,it laid quietly on a pumpkin, and the room looked so unkempt. "Why do you think it's looking sad?" Jade asked me and then I thought, "it trusted too much," I replied almost immediately because I could see the hand writing all over its face. "Who did it trust?" She further asked, maybe someone very close, someone it loved so much. Most times, we are often let down by people we love and adore so much and then we begin to wonder how and where did we go wrong? We try so hard to find closure but the only thing left with us are often fragments of our imagination of what the problem might be. It's often the people we feel safe around that hurt us the most and often the ones we are vulnerable to that takes advantage of us simply because we've given them so much power over us. I see a fox that has chosen to find solace in an empty and unkempt room, exa...

A popular network provider in my country once said "Data is life," and I agree with them. Having data has made it much more easier to access social media at the snap of our fingers, and in all honesty social media has played numerous roles in our lives however, they have their pros and cons. Before we talk about the pros and cons, I find it right to first mention some social media I know about, we have telegram, Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly twitter), Youtube, Linkedin, Reddit, WhatsApp and the list is endless. A lot of people have just a few of them while others have almost all of them, for me, I have just a few of them and I have reasons for it. First of all, Social media has made it easier for us to access the world and be in the know with what is happening around the world even without crossing borders. It has also made it easier for people to connect with their friends home and abroad and some have also earned a living through the use of social media, like the content...

Charity begins at home,"  this is a phrase that is often used to show that learning begins from home. Most of the values that resonate with us today were what had been instilled in us from home while growing up. If I decide to look at it from another perspective, it simply reminds me that home is where the love is, home is where we start to show who we truly are before extending it to others. There's this particular man in my hood who was very kind to people, he was always there for people in the community, whenever they needed his help which made a lot of people love him until the day his wife revealed that he neglected the needs of his children and her at home, only to portray what he is not outside just to earn the respect of those outside, sadly this act didn't sit well with most of the people he has helped and this is where I think Charity begins at home. I am always of the opinion that one cannot give what they do not have and a bad attitude is like a bad tire which ...

Surrounding ourselves with positivity requires intentionality, even the holy book says  the one walking with the wise will become wise and the one walking with the foolish will fair badly,  this goes a long way to prove that our growth sometimes depends on the company we keep. Ever noticed how most times we become what we read and who we mingle with? Ever heard Show Me Your Friend and I Will Tell You Who You Are? Growing up, my parents did a fine job raising me to be very picky with my friends, in my mom's words,  pick your friends just as you pick beans,  and whenever they sensed a friend of mine who was no good for me, they alert me to discard such friendship, at first I didn't understand that all they were doing was to groom me to become a better person, I felt like they were strict, restrictive and even anti-social until when I grew older, I knew better. Some circles of friends are good for nothing, imagine having friends who wouldn't say positive things whenever...

Love is a bond that exists between two or more people, many people come into our lives but because of one or two things, they end up leaving. Only a few will journey with you through thick and thin, those are very rare and precious. However, nobody will love you unconditionally like your mother except your creator of course. A woman's love for her child is so pure and deep, first of all, she keeps her life on hold to care for her little one until that child is grown enough to care for themselves. Funny enough, no matter how grown we are, our mothers still consider us to be babies and they can sacrifice anything for our happiness. A popular adage in my country says  "Monkey no fine, but him mama like am,"  meaning that even a child who has disabilities or was born with a defect can still be genuinely adored by their mom. The bond begins when we are foetus right inside of our mothers, they communicate to us, sing for us, eat what we crave and even after we are born, the lov...