THE REASON ALL FINGERS ARE NOT EQUAL

“Any man who...uses his own brain too little falls into the lazy habits of thinking”

John in his second year at the university was a master in the balancing of accounts, bank reconciliation statement, preparation of Trading, Profit and Loss account, the Balance Sheet (which is now known as Statement of Accounting Position as modified by the International Financial Reporting Standard, IFRS) and other accounting processes; his academic feat was known by all. But James, who was in the same class with John, struggled to keep his head above water as regards academics. Both were studying Accounting at the university.
On one of their lecture days, Ngozi, who had gone to buy some snacks for her stomach during the break period, entered the class; both guys looked at her (from different positions).  James noticed that John continued to stare at Ngozi with a look that gave a signal. James, a master in the act of girl coding (if you know what I mean), went to meet John and asked if he needed help. John who couldn't hold back told him that he had had feelings for her since their first year in school but couldn't do anything because he didn't know how to tell her, owing to the fact that he has always been afraid to relate with girls; and was in need of help for fear of losing her. James agreed to help on the condition that he also would help him in his academics. They both shook hands in agreement and a new friendship began. To cut the long story short, at their convocation they both graduated with two degrees each: the first, B. Sc (Hons) Accounting (John with a CGPA of 4.88, while James followed closely at 4.58) and the second, B. Sc (Hons) Girliocology (as awarded by themselves).

It‘s interesting how little things can explain very complex and sometimes incomprehensible issues. Amazingly, we are capable of solving these issues with the use of our heads. In one of his famous quotes, Albert Einstein, one of the greatest scientists that ever lived, stated that, “Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into the lazy habits of thinking”; however, many would want to disagree with him. Have you ever wondered why our fingers are not equal? I have pondered on this issue for so long a time, but got the answer recently. It might interest you to know that the reason is even as simple as ABC, if not simpler. I need you to illustrate this: kindly open your hands; you’ll see, as usual, that all your fingers are not equal. Now wrap your fingers gently to your palm and study what happens, you’ll see that your fingers rest equally on your palm aside the thumb, which forms equality with the knuckles. So simply, the fingers aren't equal because they are to be equal at the end, when you close your hand. This illustration can be perfectly applied to our environment, which to me is the most interesting part.

When we look around us, whether in our families, or in groups we belong, in our schools, places of work, or our society as a whole, there are some activities we are very good at, and others we struggle so much to be relevant; but some other people can perform them so well without even raising a finger. Just like James and John in the first paragraph, the former relates well with the opposite sex effortlessly, while the latter well grounded in academics; both were deficient in each others’ strong aspect, they formed a synergy which was more or less a symbiotic relationship; and at the end, they both made great strides in those aspects. Likewise, we should emulate them. Just like in the SWOT analysis applied to business, we should identify our Strengths and Weaknesses within us; then Opportunity and Threat which comes from our environment; so that we would have ‘good laughs’ at the end.

It all boils down to us.  If an ‘A’ student in a higher school of learning refuses to create an avenue to channel his academic ability to the benefit of lesser grade class members, he is foolish to think there is first position in the university. One can never tell what others have in stock, which might be of even greater use. Let’s wise up, now we know the reason our fingers are not equal.