Joseph. What was it you said you disliked about King Potiphar’s wife? You declined such an offer at the risk of hunger and incarceration. You were a slave yet you were so ‘swagalicious’ (pardon Emma Iduma); you must have possessed something the King himself never had. I just couldn’t grasp much of your intention then but looking at its aftermath I realized you were either a weakling or some strong stud.
Human disposition comes in different patterns, I mean in terms of natural talents, mannerisms, peculiarities, inbuilt flaws, exceptional traits, latent weakness, salient imperfections or startling qualities.
Imagine a friend who doles out alms the moment a beggar approaches him, you know full well that he has financial challenges, he too needs money about that time but he is weak to a fault-too kind for comfort. Can we say that is a sort of flaw?
Okay, my immediate younger sister is a crazy fan of Arsenal Club. After a couple of occurrences I can safely conclude that at the point of death, she doesn’t mind listening to the latest update about Arsene wenger.
We were once late for a function, as we went past a group of guys discussing football, guess what she told said. “Bro….like you have to excuse me, I don’t think I can make it”. Excuse what? That was a spoiler because this was a cousin’s pre-marriage rites that we needed to attend, but this is one thing she wouldn’t bend for-soccer!
Other people have got some sort of flaws about them. I won’t say it’s a cultivation of bad habits which matured with time; probably something they hardly notice themselves or overlooked yet when put on an opinion table it calls for a recheck.
One should be observant about people’s flaw and know how to handle them because either in inter-personal relationship or marital or work conditions, it helps greatly when you know what your co-worker has got a weak knee for.
A case that readily comes to mind is the case of a co-tenant who, at whatever time of return takes a prodding look at footsteps around his door post, observes his door-knob for any undue possible burglary as if he had inkling that someone was breaking in. yet once he is around, he is as carefree as anything. He allows just anyone to come in or take anything from his room.
Everyone likes kind people, but am sure most ladies would frown at their spouses being kind enough to give an ‘unknown lady’ a lift or to allow a stranded lady pass the night in their matrimonial homes, she may not mind if this gesture is extended to a male. While kindness can be said to be virtue, its context and extent could be tested when some circumstances stare one in the eye. It’s good to maintain a life of balance- you must as an individual identify your strength and weaknesses, some could be natural and others may be self-imposed. Whatever it is, once people know what your flaws or natural weaknesses are, then it is likely that they will leverage over you and gain undue advantage via that opening.
When anger is your undoing, then whatever stimulates your anger must be eschewed, else you will find yourself fighting with everyone all the time, and if you are in the customer relations unit of a firm, your disservice will be costing the firm a lot. Word!
Ahmed Abdullateef (
contactahmednow@yahoo.com)
