BREAK THE LIMIT.

John, a young man in his early twenties (22 years precisely) has always believed mathematics is the greatest problem he has encountered in his lifetime. He believed he breathes no more, he would never understand mathematics. John, a dreamer who has always dreamed of becoming an Engineer gave up his dreams when he was aged 7 when he started drowning in the rivers of confusion as he saw mathematics as an obstacles of which he can never overcome as far as he is concerned. John was failing and his academic life was depreciating until his concerned mother took a drastic action!

Just five (5) years ago, when john was celebrating his 17th year birthday, he anticipated the birthday present his single mom would give him, as it has being her yearly activity to present a surprise gift on his birthday. As expected, Jane, John's mother woke him up to a surprise that changed his life to something worth emulation. Instead of bicycles and video games she had always presented in the past years, Jane came in an extremely different way. She presented what made him hurt for a while until he recovered from the shock and took responsibility of his life.

Jane walked up to his room at exactly 7:30 on that Saturday morning in her brown overflowing pyjamas with a neatly wrapped package held in her left hand. Almost immediately she knocked the door to John's room, he raced to the door and with anticipation, opened the door with smiles which disappeared almost immediately as he opened the door on the face of his frowning mother who looks disturbed. What's the problem mum, he said with an almost masculine voice as Jane strolled into the room like a girl on her first date in her boyfriend's house, throwing the wrapped present on the soft bed that seems like paradise when laid on. With her cold and smooth hands, she patted the now confused lad as she chuckled aloud. With confusion written all over his face, he walked up to the wrapped gift, unwrapped and thereafter let out a loud hiss. Louder than that of a snake. A Mathematics Textbook! Jane got him a maths textbook has his birthday present and with utmost disappointment John stormed out of the room while the now wonder woman collapsed on the bed starring at her surprise gift.

It' 8'am yet John is nowhere to be found around the house, she is sober yet she has made up her mind to bring the best out of her son. It's about time Jane traveled, of which she does on regular basis, and upon leaving, she left a note on the center table which reads;

      "Dear Son,  

Am off to the States as usual and wouldn't be back till after the release of your first school leaving certificate examination results of which the would take place in Two(2) months time. For the time being, No money for you, but foodstuff is in the store. Get an 'A' in mathematics and meet me in the states, but anything less than that, expect my corpse brought back home to you in four months time.

                                           Your Mother."

 Almost immediately Jane left, the disappointed John strolled in with a swollen eye which shows he might have cried his heart out all along. On sighting the note, reached for it and read it with a speed faster than that of light. He raced to his mum's room upstairs and found everywhere empty! John is in a world of his own! Alone for four months with no money but food. John who lost his father when he was five and his mother being his only support since then. Jane has being his only support and of course he's not ready to lose her. Not because of mathematics. "Of course mum can't do this" he said aloud as he grabbed the only family picture in the house that had stayed at the edge of his mum's bed since he was Six(6). No! I can't lose you mum, No! I can't No... There and then, he decided to break the limit. John changed his mindset and started off to the land of adventures  under the map of Mathematics.

Today, dear reader, John didn't only get an 'A' in mathematics in Hus first school leaving certificate, but today, John is graduating with a first class degree in Mathematics from Oxfords university. John is standing on the podium in front of a thousand soul delivering this speech to them as the university's best graduating student for that year. John amidst tears grabs the microphone to speak with his mother beaming with joy holding that mathematics textbook of five years ago. Today John is the happiest man on earth just because he broke the limit five(5) years ago. Dear Reader, I am John.

I broke the limit five(5) years ago in order to achieve greatness, success and fame today.  I crossed the line and stood up to responsibilities , I fought shame,  frustration, enjoyment, peer pressure just for today's success. If I can dear reader, why can't you? Why can't you stand on your toe and fight for your success. Why can't you turn what seems like an obstacle before you today to your steeping stones to success. Why not not shoe the world that what they once mocked you for was what brought you to success. Why can't you?

Leave the easy jobs and face more responsibilities. Do what the world thinks is impossible. Do what the world thinks you aren't capable of doing. Break the chain and rise to success. Accept responsibilities and take actions towards them. For without this ,no man can achieve lasting success. Today marks the happiest day in my life. A black man I am, standing in front of the whole world to speak, just because I broke the limit.

Who says you can't do that? Who had underated you? Prove them wrong and make it! Make them stand for you when you're being called. This can be achieved only if you break the limit.

Thank God my mom is alive and I am now a certified mathematician. You can make it just as I did. Yes You Can! You Can Attain The Height Of Success! All you need do is, BREAK THE LIMIT.


WRITTEN BY; SANUSI EMMANUEL