One of the first successful entrepreneurs I had the pleasure of listening to told me about trusting my guts. He was a man. I found this strange because till then, I was made to feel gut feeling was not a good way to make decisions and a sign of weakness or, in sheng, ‘umama'. As it were, I ‘killed’ my guts. But after some major failures I realized my guts had warned me in one way or another contrary to logic or emotion (yes gut and heart are different). With listening more to my gut, aside from facts and back ground checks, my decisions have led to much better results ...
Al is pating Elan’s forehead with a damp cloth after she fainted. Nurse Kate is standing aside after checking for her vital signs and establishing she had just fainted. Elan wakes up after a minute to their relieve. She tries to get up but Al tells her to take it easy.
Elan realizes that this is what her dream meant. Hand on her chest, she mutters The dream! The dream!’
Feeling guilty for having caused her the stress, Al comforts her, ‘Sorry honey, it wasn’t a dream. Your family is down stairs.’
Elan hadn't realized she had spoken out loud. Realizing this, she goes with the flow. ‘Oh they are - it is real! Thanks for the welcome dear, you couldn’t have given me anything better than having my sisters here. Thank you!’
Al is now more confused than ever, ‘But you fainted! I just thought it was the worst idea ever!’
Elan smiles, ‘Hehehe! You know me well darling. You know my heart. Chances of you making a mistake that would hurt me is nil’
Nurse Kate, ‘Well think I will go to the babies now. You need not go back if you are not ready. I will come back and check your pressure - just to make sure everything is ok.’
They node and Nurse Kate leaves. Al, ‘I think she should check you ---’
Elan, ‘Dear I am fine. You too, should go. Let me freshen up. I will join you in a bit.’
Al, ‘You do not have to go back, you can just rest here. I can send them away ---’
Elan, ‘No way! You know I have missed them!’
Al is not quite convinced she should go back. Her fainting on seeing her cousin made him realize the extent of her pain. She didn't like discussing her economic past much - they had talked about that once. Elan never went back to the past, she lived in the present and planned for the future. According to her, things in the past good or bad, stay in the past or if you don’t watch out they interfere with your present and future. God had a very good reason for creating new; new day, new year actually every minute is new she would say. You come to each day with your experience and knowledge. The past is dead and dead things should stay buried she believed. Obviously, her cousin was one thing she'd have preferred to stay well buried in the past.
Al, ‘You sure, you could meet them another day ---’
Elan, ‘Yes I am. Let me just freshen up’
Al resigns knowing how stubborn she can be. He gives her a hug and kiss on the forehead and goes. He leaves Elan to her thoughts. She gets up, goes to the bathroom, starts washing her face then pauses and stares at the mirror ’Hmmm, family tree’ referring to the fruit tree in her dream.
SEE YOU TOMORROW
