Dealing with Dead Ends
The need to forge ahead is human; it is etched in our being. We have dreams and heights we hope to attain in the future and we have goals we are pursuing in order to realize our visions. We never stop aspiring for better things, we never stop seeking better experiences, we never stop attempting to make progress and we never want to be stopped until we finally have to take the compulsory exit to the world beyond. As humans, we continually seek ways of getting things done faster and more efficiently, we consciously aim to achieve our desires within a time frame and if for any reason we are delayed or forced to halt, we become miserable and desperate. It seems our dread for being stuck is borne out of our subconscious understanding of the fact that we are mortal and that we may not pass this way again.The influx of immigrants into the US especially in the later part of the last century is best explained by this intrinsic predisposition of human beings to seek better life. America has warmed her way into the hearts of nationals of several countries in the world because it appeals to their innate human desire to seek something better, it promises better education, it promises liberty, and it promises better infrastructural facilities and better means of making a living. One would not leave his home and make a home elsewhere unless the new home holds a better prospect. Immigrants therefore usually come to the US in pursuit of better life for themselves and members of their families. However, the good life in America as most immigrants get to realize on arrival is not for the taken, there are a lot of challenges to overcome, there are issues to deal with and most times there are prices to pay. a US citizen who got married to a Nigerian man she met through mutual friends was heard telling her husband shortly before he traveled to join her that coming to the US will not solve all his problems and that he might have to deal with some more problems on arrival in the US.A lot of things may go wrong for an immigrant on arrival on the soil of the US, things may not always work according to plans, one may have to start all over again, and sometimes one may have to stoop so low just to be able to conquer in the long run. There are people who are waiting to get the green card so that their lives can get back on course, there are young marriages being threatened by distance with no hope of the family reuniting any time soon, there are people waiting to find love and get married but there are no prospects in sight, there are those who lost their jobs and it appears another one is not forthcoming, there are those who are waiting for the laws to change so that their dying dreams can come alive again. There are people who just cannot reach for their dreams for one reason or the other. Whatever the case may be, experiencing delays, setbacks and being confronted with seemingly dead end situations are some of the challenges one may have to face as humans and not necessarily because one is an immigrant in the US. However, facing these challenges in a place far from home without the invaluable family support makes the position of an immigrant especially one who is new in the US a difficult one. The aftermath of the almost inevitable experience depends on the disposition of the individual towards the challenges he or she faces. While some will allow themselves to be overwhelmed by the problems they face, there are others who would take on the challenges and doggedly pursue their set goals even when it appears the odds are against them. If the dream of better life that motivated migration to the US is to come true for individual immigrants, it is pertinent that they watch over certain key factors in their bids to survive and eventually achieve their aspirations in the US. The first thing that may be affected by difficulties is the immigrant’s health. The bedrock of successful living is good health. Everything an immigrant is pursuing will become unattainable if somewhere along the way, the immigrant allows his health to be compromised due to the challenges he is facing. An immigrant therefore has to closely watch his health and give priority to his well being even in the most turbulent times. Some immigrants get into destructive habits that may eventually jeopardize their health due to the difficulties they are facing or in pursuit of means of survival in the US. The bottom line is there are other people who have been through whatever situation you are going through, those who live to tell their survival stories are those who did not allow their body systems to be damaged by the difficult situation they passed through. The ultimate assurance you have of ever being able to achieve your dreams in the US lies in you being alive.Another important aspect an immigrant may have to watch to safeguard his aspirations here in difficult times is his conduct. Where one finds himself in a discomforting situation in a strange land, there is always the tendency to want to act fast and take drastic steps to safe the situation. While this in itself is not bad, things might begin to take a dangerous turn when elements of illegality are introduced. The worst approach to making headway is to resort to breaking the law. Most accused persons standing trial in courts attribute their involvement in crime to some problems they faced in certain areas of their lives. Committing a crime is never a wise way of dealing with life travails. Crime in this sense is not restricted to those offences we consider very serious like robbing a bank or snatching purses on the streets, simple stuffs like non disclosure, providing false information, claiming funds under false pretence etc. are crimes serious enough to give you an ugly record with the police. The temptation may be very strong, you may have seen others do it and get away it, but if you really do not want to compound your problems, stay out of trouble. This is as important as staying alive. We can deal with our problems without seeking remedies that will make us run foul of any law either civil or criminal. When one closes his mind against the attractive illegal options, other options available will surface, there are always other ways of getting through a bad situation without breaking the law. Life will get better and dreams will become realities when one does not become prejudiced by his misconducts.In the midst of all the troubles and turbulence, there is also a serious need for one to keep his or her dreams alive. Things may not be happening according to plans, one may find himself or herself doing something which is a far departure from what they initially set out to do, however such temporary survival measure should never be allowed to defeat the main aspirations or goals. Do everything you can to keep your dreams alive, buy stuffs that will keep you in constant remembrance of your dreams and put them in strategic places in your home, subscribe to relevant magazines and journals, make friends with those who have similar aspirations and never for once relent in your efforts to make your dreams come through. The delays, setbacks and situations that appear like dead ends are not what they appear to be, unless you take them as such, they are hurdles you may have to cross over to get to that place of comfort you are gunning for.
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