Once upon a time, in a season when the earth forgot how to give, famine and drought crept into the animal kingdom. The rivers thinned. The grasses withered. Hunger became a silent visitor in every home. 💛
The animals grew weak, their bodies shrinking day by day. Yet in the midst of this hardship, Goat and Tortoise remained close friends. One afternoon, with urgency in his eyes, Tortoise hurried to Goat with news.
“I have found a barn,” he whispered, “filled with yam. If we must survive this famine, we have only one choice — we take from it.”
The barn belonged to Nkemdilim (Dog), a seer known throughout the village. He had foreseen the drought. He had warned the people. But they ignored him. So he prepared — storing food and water for his household. Strong, disciplined, and feared, no one dared knock at his door to beg. 💛
Goat and Tortoise finalized their plan. On Eke market day, when Nkemdilim had gone to trade, they crept quietly into the barn through a small hole.
At first, they ate.
But while Goat focused on transferring food from rumen to omasum, lost in the pleasure of consumption, Tortoise kept pausing. After each bite, he would measure his body against the hole they had used to enter. He understood something Goat did not — survival requires foresight. 💛
Then came the sound.
Nkemdilim had returned, alerted by noise. In a flash, Tortoise squeezed himself through the hole and escaped. Goat tried to follow — but his belly had grown too large. He was stuck.
That evening, Goat became meat on Nkemdilim’s table.
💛
This story mirrors a painful truth about our time.
Nearly 80% of our population is quietly trapped — not by famine, but by excess. Gluttony has become a norm. In my part of the country, a bloated abdomen is often seen as proof of wealth, rather than assets, discipline, or wise investments. 💛
But let us reflect deeply.
Your first responsibility in this life is to take care of yourself — especially your health. Many of the prevailing illnesses today are either caused or worsened by unhealthy lifestyles. Cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and numerous chronic conditions are closely linked to what and how we eat.
The way you look physically says something about your discipline. Not perfection — but control. Intentionality. Awareness. 💛
When you understand that you eat to stay alive and not live to eat, your relationship with food — and even with material possessions — begins to change.
If you cannot manage what enters your mouth daily, how can people trust you with greater responsibilities or investments? Discipline in small matters reflects discipline in larger ones. 💛
Controlling what you eat today can prevent countless weight-related and heart conditions tomorrow. The earlier you start, the better.
Let your food be your medicine.
Gluttony is not only a spiritual weakness; it destroys both vertically and horizontally — your relationship with God and your relationship with your body. 💛
Embrace moderation. Embrace fasting. Learn to sit with hunger without being controlled by it. In the long run, it strengthens you.
Eat healthy. Stay healthy. Be healthy.
Do not eat yourself into a corner like Goat. Always check what you are eating against why you are eating. 💛
Ukpana okpoko gburu nti chiri ya.
I remain your friend and brother,
Maazi Onuora Obodoechi
Pen it down. 