MY FIRST ATM WITHDRAWAL

 

I remember a time in the past as clearly as I remember how harmattan smells like dry dust and cold air on this present day.

I grew up in a forested area. I wake up daily to the chirping of birds or the sounds of lizards crawling through the ceiling. We plucked fruits directly from trees and turned the jungle into our playground. The forest animals were the only witnesses we had, most of the time.

We were that close to nature!

I remember the first time I heard about a machine that gives money. It sounded so simple and amazing at the same time. All I was told I have to do is to insert my Bank Card into a slot in the machine and it will give me money. So simple. So awing. So mighty.

I think this is because it takes the boarding of three different buses from my village to get to the closest Bank where an ATM could be found at this time. So, when the time was right, my parent took me along to the bank, I remember entering the tiled floor and basking in the coldness of a room filled with conditioned air. It was like stepping into another space.

All I ever knew and was familiar with was the untamed and fresh air that bellowed through the forest both day and night.

And when I was of age, in my teenage years, I remember coming to that same bank again with my mum for a transaction she wanted to make. But when we got to the bank that day, the queue was long.

She wanted to withdraw and also make complaints inside the bank. So she looked at me, gave me her ATM to make the withdrawal. I already knew her ATM password, she doesn’t use a sophisticated password. She left me with the ATM, telling me how much I should withdraw.

After she went inside the bank, I felt like the whole world was watching. I was excited, but my excitement was also mixed with anxiety. I was not sure if I could do it. And when it was my turn, I felt all the eyes behind me boring into my back. So, I inserted the ATM Card. Chuckles! I inserted the wrong side, and the ATM rejected the card.

I think a woman noticed, so she stepped up beside me and showed me how to go through with the whole process. It was comforting to have a knowledgeable person behind me guiding me. And when I was done, she gave a beautiful smile and went back to the line. I entered the bank with confidence to present the money and ATM card to my mum. And since then, I have carried out different transactions at an ATM stand over the years.

What am I trying to say?

The first time is a time of trial and mistake. The first time of doing anything takes courage. The first time you are going to try anything new comes with its own excitement, risk, and benefits. And what I have come to realize is the place of an expert. What is the place of an expert? An expert is a person who is very knowledgeable about or skillful in a particular area, someone who can guide you in that particular area.

Have you decided to try out something new this year? Is it not going as planned? Are you ready to give up? Please, don’t yet.

Seek the assistance and guidance of an expert in that field. Guidance leads to learning and learning leads to experience and experience leads to excellence. Thank you!

In God’s Love,

Peace Okunola.