It's funny how we can learn some of life’s most important lessons from the most unexpected things, events, or even items.

Sometimes, a simple activity like observing two stray dogs by the roadside can teach us something profound. That’s what happened to me recently, except in my case, it all started with a polish can. Stay with me, and let’s unravel what a humble polish could possibly teach.

About three weeks ago, I needed to polish my black shoes, but I couldn’t do it immediately because I had run out of polish. So, I called my friend Isaac and asked if I could borrow his. He lived on campus, so I had to go to school to get it. He simply said, “No problem.”

Later that evening after class, he handed me the polish and a brush. I remembered him telling me that he had been using that same polish since last year. When I opened it, I was astonished to see that it was still almost full. I decided I’d try not to finish it while using it.

Fast-forward: I ended up using it for about a week before returning it. But during that week, I noticed I had used quite a lot, and I couldn’t understand why. Later on, I had to use his shoes for class because I had stayed the night before at school for night class. I also took them home afterward.

By this time, I had bought my own polish but hadn’t bought a brush, so I was still using Zeek’s. One day, I sat to polish his shoe again, and that’s when it hit me: the reason he was able to use his polish for so long was because only the sole of his shoe needed polishing.

That moment brought clarity and reflection. I realized how easily we fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to others without understanding their full context. Comparing myself to Zeek for being able to manage polish while I couldn’t would have been unfair and unnecessary. But how often do we do just that, compare ourselves to people whose circumstances we don’t even fully understand?

Unfortunately, many people suffer from low self-esteem because of this exact habit. And it often starts early in life. Growing up, I struggled with self-esteem, especially in primary school and part of secondary school, all because of my handwriting. For some reason, my writing was terrible, and this frustrated my teachers. Their efforts to help were often laced with comparison: “Why can’t you write like Ayo?” “Is this not Ayo with better handwriting, does he have two heads”.

Because of my handwriting, I was overlooked when smart students were needed to represent the class, as though bad handwriting was a sign of low intelligence. What helped me the most wasn’t a teacher, but my immediate older brother. He also had unreadable handwriting, but he was okay with it. With time, I improved, but the damage caused by those comparisons left marks I carried for a long time.

Everyone has a different journey. We didn't grow up the same way or pass through the same experiences. We won’t all arrive at success at the same pace, and that’s perfectly okay. Not all flowers bloom at the same time.

In reflecting on that polish can, I also thought about timing. The timing of our lives can never be identical. So why do we stress ourselves trying to keep up with others? Why feel less when our finances aren’t great, or our progress seems slow? Life moves in seasons, and our moment will come. It’s more important to understand what you need to do, and to start, even if it's late. It’s never too late until you’re late.

Most importantly, the experience reminded me of the value of friendship. One of the greatest blessings I’ve had in school is my circle of friends. They’ve been a solid source of support. Isaac popularly addressed as Zeek never hounds me about returning anything unless he truly needs it and I also do the same. When I’m broke and need to get to school, he’s often my first call. If we’re both in the same situation, I reach out to my brother or parents.

Friendship, community, and relationships matter more than we often realize. The people around us are often the bridges we need to cross into better phases of life. That’s why I always advise people to build genuine relationships and connect meaningfully. Use your current environment and network to grow, to learn, to invest in yourself. These things build the future.

I once read a book, though I’ve forgotten the title, but I was left with a striking idea: there are always opportunities around us. Events, people, situations, they're filled with potential. But we limit ourselves with our own minds. I’ve done this too many times. But learning to shift that mindset can make all the difference.

So, this is my little reflection. All from a polish can.

And yes, happy birthday to me in advance.

Life really does have a way of using the ordinary to teach us the extraordinary.

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