A New Start

Описание: A New Start

Long ago, in a quiet village surrounded by tall iroko trees and red earth roads, there lived a teenage boy named Kola. He was known as a bright and hardworking child, especially proud of his dream to become a respected scholar. His parents often reminded him, “Success walks with patience,” and the village elders would nod in agreement.
One year, Kola was chosen to represent his school in an important examination that could change his future. Day and night, he studied beneath the dim glow of a kerosene lamp. His heart was full of hope.
But when the results were announced, Kola failed.
The news fell on him like a heavy stone. Shame wrapped around his heart, and he avoided his friends. He stopped attending evening storytelling gatherings in the village square. In his mind, his failure defined him.
One evening, while wandering near the old mango tree where elders often rested, Kola met Pa Adesina, the oldest man in the village. The elder looked at him kindly and said,
“Why does a young tree bend as though the wind has broken it?”
With tears in his eyes, Kola told him everything—his failure, his disappointment, and how he could not forgive himself.
Pa Adesina picked up a dry leaf from the ground and crushed it gently.
“This leaf has fallen,” he said, “but the tree still lives. When the rains come, new leaves will grow. Do you blame the tree for the fallen leaf?”
Kola shook his head.
“Then do not blame yourself forever,” the elder continued. “Failure is not the end of your story. Forgiveness—especially forgiving yourself—is the beginning of a new chapter.”
That night, Kola remembered the words his mother once read from the Scriptures:
“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.”
(2 Corinthians 5:17)
For the first time since his failure, peace filled his heart. He prayed, asking God to forgive him and give him strength to begin again.
The following morning, Kola returned to his books—not with fear, but with humility and hope. He asked for help where he once felt ashamed. He studied harder, wiser, and with patience.
By the next year, Kola passed his examinations. But more importantly, he learned something greater than success: failure does not cancel purpose, and forgiveness opens the door to new beginnings.
From that day on, whenever young people in the village failed and felt broken, the elders would say,
“Remember Kola—and remember the tree that grows new leaves.”
Moral Lesson:
Failure is not the end. When we forgive ourselves and trust God, He gives us a new start.