BY ADEYEMI OSHUNRINADE April 7, 2013
Born into a royal family, all I knew was the life of affluent. The carriages, horses, jewelry, the best clothes money can buy and the royal servants that followed me everywhere I Went. With a snap of the finger, I got everything I wanted. I never knew suffering, I believed life was good for everyone, that all had food, shelter and other necessities of life. In the palace where I lived, no one talked about the poor or hardship people experience in life and to us, life was just good.
Every night after dinner, I walked grounds of the palace followed by royal servants. I loved the trees, lilies and roses that made my home most beautiful place to live in the world. The sounds of birds chirping and singing could be heard as they flew from one tree to the other. Even the animals had a happy life living in the palace. Royal Flamingos were everywhere in the ponds and white Stallions run around grazing on special grass and seeds.
On a fateful night, I decided to walk grounds of the palace as usual. I wanted alone so I ordered my servants to stay in their quarters. It was such a beautiful summer night, the sun had set and the only colors and light visible in the sky came from the moon. It was a night like no other. Birds were chirping as usual but I could hear them singing lullabies too. They sang as I never heard in my entire life living in the palace. They also flap their wings as the singing became louder. “Why is tonight so special?” I thought. I looked around me and was the only one, just as I wanted the night.
Suddenly, I saw the birds migrating to a particular tree in the palace. They sang flapping their wings as they concentrated on the tree. And then, the Flamingos began to swim out of the ponds, they were all running towards same tree. I looked to my right as I heard sounds coming towards me, four white Stallions approached and ran towards the tree. “But why the fixation on same tree?” I asked myself.
I became curious and wanted to know what made the tree so important that the birds, Flamingos, stallions and other creatures gather around it. I ran as fast as I could towards the tree, it was time for bed and I knew it won’t take long before royal servants began their search for me. I must see whatever happened to that tree before any other person in the palace. As I approached, the lullabies became more audible and beautiful, the Flamingos jumped for joy and the Stallions waggled their tails in happiness as if they were waiting for my arrival. “What in the world could this be?” I asked.
I looked and got amazed at the sight of a baby wrapped in rags. “What is a baby doing under the palace tree?” I asked. It was a baby girl, she looked thin and unfed but peaceful. She began to cry as I lifted her. I had compassion for her immediately. “Who could have done such a horrible thing?” “Who dumped a baby here? I asked but got no answer. Then I saw a letter tucked in the baby’s clothing, it had placed there by whoever abandoned her.
I knew the baby needed help immediately, there was no time to read the letter it was the first time I had seen rags in my life so I wanted to change her and feed her. Royal servants arrived as I began towards the palace, they got surprised to see me with a child. “No questions,” I said. “Take the baby, feed, clothe her and make sure she sees the royal Pediatrician,” I ordered.
I became abashed by what I saw. All my life I knew no suffering, I knew everyone lived good and believed poverty never existed. Now I know life is not same for everyone, that some are less fortunate while others are affluent. From the letter I learnt the baby was born into a poor family, her parents could not care for her so her mother decided to place her under a tree in the palace. She did not want to harm her child so, she chose to abandon her hoping someone in the palace would notice.
I wished she had called social services or the police and give up the baby. No child deserves to live under a tree, I would not have found the baby had the animals failed to see her. I thanked the birds, Flamingos, Stallions and all creatures that sang lullabies to the baby. I brought her before my parents the King and Queen, we named her Sabrina. She will grow up in the palace and one day would become a noble like me; she will not suffer anymore.
It’s now clear life is not as I was made to believe. There are many in the world that are poor and need our help. The story of baby Sabrina made me consider charity work, I have decided to devote my life to helping the less fortunate and the poor. Though I’m of noble birth, my life as a princess is worth nothing if I can’t help the society. Every child must have food and deserve a good home. We all must do whatever possible to make the world a better place.
Dr. Adeyemi Oshunrinade (E., JD) is the author of ‘Wills Law and Contests,’ ‘Constitutional Law-First Amendment’ and ‘SAVING LOVE’ available at www.amazon.com/author/adeyemioshunrinade. Follow on Twitter @san0670.
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