“Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up, it knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn’t matter whether you’re the lion or a gazelle-when the sun comes up, you’d better be running.” Christopher Mcdougal
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My father who has been departed for 6 years now, believed that the sunrise should always find one out of bed. Even if there wasn’t much to do in a given day, my father would insist on us waking up to see the new day. If we missed the sunrise he would be disappointed at how lazy we were becoming. I cannot pretend that I always enjoyed that, certain days I wanted to stay a little longer in bed but house rules needed to be followed. As father’s day approaches I like to remember my father for this profound cultural lesson that he ingrained in me. I now know more than ever that sunrises are very special moments that we should never have to take for granted.
Getting up before the sunrise is a very important aspect of my culture as a Motswana and this holds true for many African cultures. Traditionally the early morning is that time packed with action, it’s a time to tend livestock and start household chores. Even in urban setting, where our lifestyles have changed the habits of early rising are somewhat innate in many of us.
In his book, “The Miracle Morning; the not-so obvious secret guaranteed to transform your life,” Hal Elrod talks about how waking early can change your life. He talks about developing a morning routine and considering the morning as a time you can take to focus on yourself and empower yourself . Hal points out to morning habits such as silence, reading and journaling, that will totally transform your life. Many people who have followed this advice have had their lives changed. A lot of successful people are early risers because sunrise can be a defining moment in your day.
The sun rises in your life too….
Sunrise moments will come into your life. Moments that signify new beginnings. Some presenting themselves as barely recognizable; tiny rays of hope, others very visible to us. When those moments come, they should find you out of bed. You must throw away the blankets of any form holding you back, say bye bye to broken dreams, say bye bye to yesterday’s mistakes and embrace what is new. Say bye bye to laziness. Break free and get into action required for the new day. Wake up to those sunrise moment.Be sure to let the morning of your life be the time for your fresh dreams and fresh visions for your future.
If you are at a prime age and reading this, I don’t want you to look back in years to come with regret at how you were asleep at the time you were supposed to be up. This is the sunrise of your life, it is the best time to prepare for the rest of your life, wake up find opportunities that lie ahead, opportunities to improve on yourself and on others. In my country’s national anthem there is a verse that talks about waking up and arising to serve the nation. You cannot be of service to yourself nor to the nations if you are still in your sleep. When everybody else is tempted to hang onto the comfort of their bed, wake up and take charge of your life. In the words of Christopher Mcdougal when the sun is up you better be running. Be wide awake to utter to your soul what may be the most beautiful words of the day, “good morning sunrise.”
Conclusion
“…… But joy comes in the morning” Psalm 30:5
When the sun rises in your life will your eyes be open to those moments that hold promises of a fresh start? Will you be up to draw out the curtains of your soul and let the rays of the new day dawn into your soul? Or you will let the mornings of your life slide by because of you are hanging onto to yesteryears limitation? Will you be up at sunrise to receive the blessings of a new day? What dreams will you wake up to and run after?
“Masa a sele”