A short story with synonyms and antonyms!
The Beginning
The best creations are birthed through pain, Khama had gradually come to understand the nature of his journey as an artist.
It was a solitary trek with no immediate solace in sight but only the assurance that something good would always come out at the end of his quest.
There was nothing bad in trying, he knew. As long as he kept at his task, doing what he had to do no matter the hardship, always answering to the call of the universe, he would be all right.
Sometimes, he failed to comprehend the nature of the call. Why did he feel restless when he as much as deviated from his course for a single minute? For what reason did his heart beat so fast when he stopped believing in that calling?
Could he start to follow another path that would lead to another destination with different results? Was there something else he should do?
The Walk
Deep down his heart, Khama knew that this walk would last him a lifetime. He had not chosen to take that walk. The walk had chosen him. Sometimes he wished he could shake off the burden and walk away. Yet, he knew that this was his calling. It entailed courage, boldness, perseverance and sacrifice for the common good.
He walked on, despite feeling the weight of the world bruising his shoulders. Often, he carried on, come rain or sunshine, despite the violent and silent opposition that aimed to crush his spirit so he could abandon his quest. Always, he braved the storms, wishing he couldn’t, so he should experience peace at last and at least for a single second.
He thought about all the obstacles that had been and were still in his way. Some had been placed there voluntarily and these had tested his will the most. They continuously tried his patience and he had to muster up all the courage in the world in order to continue his journey. With time, he realised that these challenges were there for a reason.
As a matter of fact, each time he overcame an obstacle, he felt stronger and he could undertake his duties with resolute determination. His best work had come out of his worst moments and each difficult situation had always lead him to tremendous growth.
Yet, he did not want to experience mental and physical torture in order to grow and create. Why did it have to be so difficult? Why did it have to be so painful?
Dealing with Opposition
He dreaded those moments when he felt deafening earthly opposition in his midst. These were trying periods that repeatedly brought him to his knees. Often, he kept running unless he faltered. Others would sit down and accept defeat but he never did for he was sure that the worst would happen if he as much as stopped trying.
Each morning brought a new surprise, good or bad, and each evening birthed a novel idea, wonderful or awful. Yet, he always woke up with purpose because he had learnt that doing was demanding. You needed to be on your guard, right from the start, because you never knew what thorns lay in your path.
He spent many a sleepless night thinking about what would come next. Worrying was out of question though. Many a painful lesson had taught him that worries brought about misery. You needed to have a light, clean and an uncluttered spirit in order to carry out the job. You could not do what was right if your heart was heavy and laden with unproductive thoughts.
Whenever he felt a cloud of negativity hovering above his head, he summoned the winds of benevolence and blew that negativity away with a blast. Whenever he felt his legs weakening at the thought of yet another hard day, he recalled his past deeds and how they had been beneficial to others and to himself. Then, he became convinced that strength, and not weakness, was what needed to be infused into those legs so he could keep doing what was right.
Finding Meaning
His creations were meaningful and it was meaningless to stop creating, even when he did not reap immediate rewards. There is meaning in doing a job that we perceive to be rewardless yet it is rewarding in many other unseen ways.
Miraculously, he did not earn much money but he never went to bed hungry. No huge sums of money graced his bank account, yet he did not walk barefoot. He was fully clothed, nicely housed and managed to do his creations, even though his hands never received any wad of cash from anyone.
There was a satisfying mystery in knowing that he was being taken care of despite the lack of care and support that he perceived. Certainly, there was light in the darkness and power in being powerless.
Paradox was the nature of his job. He was doing something he chose to do every single day, yet he felt that he had not chosen to follow that path. Happiness lit his heart at each finished creation, forgetting the sadness that had led to its conception.
Pain jolted him into action, brought about the necessary urgency that pushed him to undertake what he would normally ignore in normal times. Pain forced him to stop and contemplate situations with a patient heart. Pain slowed him down and quickened his pace at the same time.
He had to accept the relentless pain so he could create outstanding beauty. Perfection was always carved out of a broken heart and the remedy to a sore spirit is to feed it with unspeakable beauty. Beauty heals the soul.
Magnificence is the medicine that cures a maimed mind and memory. Once the soul is healed, we can feel indescribable joy.
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- Short Story: A Blessing in Disguise, with Synonyms and Antonyms, Learn English With Africa, June 2021
- Vocabulary: Short Story with Synonyms and Antonyms, A Blessing in Disguise, Learn English With Africa, June 2021
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About the Author
Thandi Ngwira Gatignol is the founder of Learn English With Africa. She was born on June 11th, 1981 in Blantyre, Malawi. When she was 19, she left her country of birth for France. She currently lives with her two daughters and husband in Poland.
Thandi holds a Bachelor’s degree in English studies obtained at the Université Paris X Nanterre in France and a Certificate in Journalism from Malawi. She has taught English as a French Ministry of Education certified teacher both in France and in Poland. She speaks six languages fluently, including French, Polish and Italian. She is now learning Kiswahili, German and Spanish. Salt No More is her debut novel and you can find her other books here on the website or on Amazon.
Course Title: English Short Story: A Blessing in Disguise🥀, with Interesting Synonyms and Antonyms (Level B1-B2) © Learn English With Africa, June 2021
