There are different forms of pressure in the world we live in today and sometimes I fear what the generations yet to come will face if humans haven't destroyed the world before that time.
Social pressure, family pressure and other have caused many people to go astray. While some victims of these pressures are redeemable, a lot of them have reached the point of no return. They lost their head completely after they became addicted to any form of pressure that was imposed on them.
Sometimes last year, a guy I know very well was smoking. He was so addicted to the extent that he smokes hard stuff from time to time, he sleeps once the stuff has taken him down and got back to smoking once he feels better.
I was staring at him and he said that I can't understand what was going on. He said only little children don't know what they will turn out to be when they grow and I should count myself lucky because I don't smoke to keep my head cool.
I asked why and he said, life is tough and smoking is the only way to forget your problems, arguing with him wasn't an option but I was bothered because many teenagers are involving themselves in smoking just because they are been told that it is the only way out of whatever they are going through and because there is no way forward, they fall to the pressure of doing what others are doing.
I usually don't feel pressured, I don't know how but I have been this stubborn type that won't bend to others pressure. The only pressure I feel is the one I put on myself while trying to achieve something and no matter how impatient I am, I won't do anything wrong to get that thing done.
I have been called different names, I have been kicked out of groups of friends because I just wouldn't bend to any form of pressure they are imposing on me.
Many people know me to be a committed person to anything I am doing and I don't know why it gives them a headache especially when it comes to relationship affairs.
I stopped speaking about cheating to people who are so addicted to it. They pick on me and claim that I am not man enough to do it that's why I don't do it. The question that crosses my mind is why should you cheat on your partner when you claim to love them wholeheartedly?
At the time I was working with a company, I had this group of friends. Two were married while the other one has a serious relationship but they had side chicks as well. We were close and every time we were outside, they come around with different girls.
There are times when I have to even cover up for them when they get into trouble for cheating. On a fateful day, we went to chill after work on Friday and one of them came with an extra girl, he introduced her to me and I just felt she probably accompanied her friend.
I decided to take my leave first because I don't like moving in the night. One of them followed me to ask if I didn't like the girl and I said she is alright, he said I should spend more time with her. I reminded him that I have a serious relationship and he said will I tell my girlfriend that I cheated on her, he went on to call me a kid that day.
It wasn't the first time hearing that so it doesn't hurt anymore. I left that day and they started acting strangely toward me from that day.
I have many cases like that, people who I call friends claimed to be watching out for me by introducing me to ladies when they knew that I have a serious relationship. The way they even praise my girlfriend when they see her back then surprises me a lot, how can you be forcing me to have another girl and still have the mind to eat the food my girlfriend prepared, I just can't comprehend.
It was once a pressure but not anymore even though it has become a norm for men to have more than one relationship at a time after all, we are going to be the head of the family.
When I start rejecting their ill form of kindness, I become unworthy of their company and they stylishly leave you out of their company. That is when they will ask you how you enjoy life when you don't smoke, drink or fornicate and I do not understand what kind of life enjoyment they derive from everything.
Aside from being a Christian that has been taught how these things can take us away from the presence of Christ, I have practiced being disciplined and it has helped me a lot.
I was taught to be disciplined and I abided by the lessons. There are too many negative sides attached to bowing to pressure so why should we allow it to ruin us? I am contented and won't allow myself to submit to pressures that can lead me astray.
Abiding by God's law, being disciplined and contentment has helped me survived the pressure they heaped on me to walk in their path. I am not better than them today but I have peace and divine happiness in my life.
