Don't Miss Your Chance to Dance

Osa is beating
Ogbe is dancing
Both embarked on a journey
We did not see anyone to respond (i.e., in a call and response)
The dance has become one of looking back (i.e., wondering if others will participate)
Ogbe was asked to perform an offering to avoid dancing beyond his boundary
A child beat the drum of Esu for Ogbe
Cotton does not dance past the cotton spinner
If cotton dances past, the spinner will pull it back
Ogbe refused to perform the offering
Esu taught Osa to beat the drum of Esu
So that Ogbe would dance past his fortune

- Holy Odu OsaOgbe

How many times have you danced right passed your good fortune? Maybe it was some kind of economic opportunity. Or it may have been a chance to travel. Perhaps it was a love interest. Either way, recall a time when you looked the gift horse in the mouth and just walked on by? There is a Yoruba proverb that says, One who sees beauty but fails to recognize it will soon become poor. It means that a life without enjoyment is an impoverished one. People will use that saying to remind you of how important it is to take advantage of the good things that surround you.

Still, I wonder about the reasons why people sometimes refuse to embrace their fortunes. I wonder about the ways in which we struggle to set reasonable priorities. I wonder about the ways in which we struggle with feelings of worthiness (i.e., Do I deserve this fortune?). I wonder about our sense of entitlement, which causes us to believe that opportunity will keep knocking, no matter how many times we walk past it without even a moment of hesitation.

Today, you have a golden opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to your life and the lives of the people you are destined to serve. Don't allow yourself to be confused or misled. Get clarity, focus and direction: Ask Ifa!

Obafemi Origunwa, MA | ObafemiO.com