The Pain

Last night I lay on my bed, but I could not sleep. I can hardly explain to you the kind of pain I was feeling. It felt like someone was stabbing a dagger on my back. My heart beat fast; this was a night of agonizing pain. All of my readings assignments were detoured by this pain. I could no longer leaf through pages. I retired to bed earlier than my usual time. I started shifting and turning on my bed without being constant for one moment. It was with this considerable difficulty and pain I remembered all about death. I was shaken by the fact that I was going to die. I started thinking of the sympathy and condolences that may be poured to my family by strangers, friends, relatives, and acquaintances. As this image of death became more distinct, I grew thoughtful. May be it is true that my time is up!
The night before, I decided to go to the gym after being away from the gym for almost three months. I well knew that if I wanted to stay in shape I must exercise. I am a 200 pound, six feet creature. I think of my self as a skinny Somalian, but many of my friends disagree with me. Nothing is more painful to the human mind than being told that you are overweight. It was nearly five minute past nine when I arrived at the school’s gym. This is the same gym where the 1996 Olympics swimming events was held (when Nigeria defeated Argentina in 1996, they played in my school’s stadium-just a few meters from this gym). I wandered in the gym trying to figure it out what machine to use for my chest work out. I directed my step towards a group of well built people doing some dumb-bells lifting. One of the heavy guys fixed his eyes upon me. I wondered what he was looking at? Is it because I am the little man in this crowd? I was neither perplexed nor bewildered by his actions. I promised myself to show him that I can do whatever they were doing. Everyone was facing the big mirror while they lifted the dumbbells. I picked a 30 pound dumbbell as my warm up! I was moved to notice that they were all lifting above 50 pounds. I trembled with passion to compete with these guys. Few minutes after my arrival I have upgraded my weight to 50 pounds. Never has any train of reflection occurred to me about what I was doing. I never cared if I got hurt. I was only reflecting on how I should walk out through that door as the little iron man. I wish I knew the pain I was going to experience the night after.