Service, in the context of this essay, means one’s dutiful disposition towards his external environment, whether at home or at the workplace. These are formed in two stages; First is service at the early stage, where a child is literally hard wired to help and serve his parents at home, teachers in school, and every older person around. Willingly or unwillingly, he lives by the rules and commands of service by these superior authorities.
At this level, the chances of serving are shaped by the tasks foisted by these superiors and their compulsion in ensuring that their dictates are yielded to.
Second is service at an adult stage, rendered by choice either at home, at work place, or in any formal or informal space. It entails a decision of yes or no made between several available choices of how and who to serve.
Each of these levels of service, especially service at an adult stage, is a seed that, when sown earnestly and profoundly,
activates a glorious future for the sower.
*The How Factor*
Success often doesn’t go to the most talented but to those who have shown true diligence through service. Real service is like a gold refined by hard work, dedication, commitment, perseverance, and diligence to duties. It entails serving with love, patience, and sacrifice in a way that brings insights and innovation into the work space. It yields greatness; great result, great satisfaction, great reputation, great joy, and great wealth.
Seeking and finding how to serve is an investment that never fails. When the acts of service fail to leave an impressive impression to the person or organisation served, then the true purpose of service has been defeated.
*The Who Factor*
I rarely speak in absolute, but from the experiences I have gathered in life, who we serve (whether in a formal or informal setting) to a large extent shapes who we are and who we will become. We may not be their mirror image, but we would inevitably pick some ideas, habits, mannerisms, talents, prejudices, and other behavioural traits from them. Their style, pattern, and character are definitely going to find their way in our lives and be part of the habits we cultivate. Just as our lives are reflections of our environment and those around us, the person we serve is like a guiding compass in our life bearing.
The concept of service isn’t linear. It is in everything we do. It is a blend of our actions and attitude, the life we live, the character we portray, and the mentorship we receive from people. People without any formal form of service are not exempted from this analysis because they directly or indirectly serve those in their close and extended circle of friends and acquaintances, which also influence their life and future.
Circumstances alone do not determine who we are. The way we serve and who we serve puts us in a position to develop better skills and relational intelligence. It helps us to grow and level up in skills and competencies and to better evolve in our roles and responsibilities.
It is powerful to serve well. It is more powerful to serve a good person, one who would explicitly convey in us the right values, one who would boost our confidence and guide us through, one who recommend us to a higher level, one who would pray for us and wish us well. One who would liberate and not enslave us. One who would rally courage to support us.
We only get one life to live and perhaps, one opportunity to serve. We can’t afford to let it zoom by and end up with regrets. As a child or young adult, you have the opportunity to make the right decisions of how and who to serve through choices that must be seriously considered with the right attitude and the best energy.
Amara Ann Unachukwu.
