By Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi

Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength, because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger’ –Psalm 8:2

From the mouth of a naughty little boy with the most admirable persuasive skills

From a beloved child, whose mother is teaching a valuable lesson in consequences

From one who we all recognise in every innocent little face around us

Two simple words of the most profound wisdom

Calm Down

Yes, Mummy is fed up and angry

She has told him not to do it, whatever it is, over and over

Like most children his age

Words are meant for entry into the left ear and exit from the right

So Mummy decides to drive home her message with some permanence

Somewhere in the center of his brain, before it finds the door out again

The game is up.

Mummy is mad as hell, no surprise there, all mothers can relate

A child who has no fear of authority becomes an adult who is fearless in all the wrong ways

Something those struggling to parent in this day and age have to contend with

‘Old School’ Mummy is not about to be found wanting

Poor boy was afraid of getting the beating of his little life

I got mine when I was nine years old

Back in the day, there were no threats of being beaten

There was no room for negotiation

You just got a sound beating

With no notice, no theatrics, no videos, no opportunity to plead your case

If you were asked what you did wrong, you got beaten if you knew why

If you did not know what you did wrong, your beating was doubled

If you cried, you got beaten, if you didn’t, it was tripled

This is 2020, so the little chap was able to change the narrative with two words

Calm Down

We are all angry over one thing or the other

There is something that ails us, bothers us, makes us cry or keeps us awake at night

Now from the mouth of a terrified little boy, we can see our way through

Calm down

Tomorrow will be better

For the hard of hearing, who need to hear, here is an opportunity

Calm down

When you do, you will hear the rumblings of the bellies of the hungry

You will hear the groans of the sick, who have no means of a cure

You will hear the painful cries of the unclad women wailing for justice

You might even hear the whimpers of the millions of children wandering the streets with no hope

Calm down

Two words that should flash like neon lights

For those living life on the fast lane on real and imaginary superhighways

My mansion is bigger than yours

My bag is more expensive than yours

My wedding cost more than hers

My wristwatch can buy a house

My car says I am not your mate

My jewelry is real not fake

Calm Down

Did you hear?

What did he say?

Say that again, You don’t mean it!

Really?

Where?

When?

How?

Calm down

Mind your own business

For those who are not content with their blessings

And are blind to the full cup so heavy it has to be held with both hands

Yet ignore words of restraint to chase after promises of a bigger cup

And now find themselves bereft of both cup and contents

Calm Down

Little Master ‘Calm Down’ also has a demonstration of ‘Calm Down’.

He lies down to show Mummy how she should ‘Calm Down’

Let us follow his example

We can Calm Down by lying down

We can Calm Down by laying down

We can hold our anger and sharp tongues

We can still our fingers from typing mischief

We can have a humble spirit that leads us to the realisation that it is not always about us

We can stop bearing false witness

We can desist from false prophecies and ignore false prophets

We can find stillness in helping others

We can shift our anger to purpose

Calm Down

Now the smart fellow is an Ambassador

He will go around preaching a message of peace and love

The Governor wants to meet him

The little Ambassador’s words have resonated with him

In this season, when we are all fighting for our lives one way or the other

When we do not know who wakes up before dawn comes

Or who departs before sunset

Calm Down

Maybe I should have said that to my mother all those years ago

The days of the slippers, belts and custom-made sticks

Only problem is: I would not have been here to write this!

Calm Down.

Calm Down.

Calm Down. 

*Adeleye-Fayemi, a Gender Specialist, Social Entrepreneur and Writer, is the Founder of Abovewhispers.com, an online community for women, as well as the First Lady of Ekiti State, and she can be reached at BAF@abovewhispers.com

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