#12: Time and Tide
The academic session began with a practical on the course, hydrographic survey. According to the instructions to survey, we were asked to measure the tide using the tidal guage at the intervals of five (5) minutes. On the first day at site, I did something terrific that made everyone put blames on me.
Before we start the reading of the measurements of tide on the tidal guage, the tidal guage needs to be installed. The only way to install this is when the water level is low. Actually, in the river, we have the high water level and the low water level.
These water level varies in different locations of the world; for instance, in the morning at about 8am, the water level may be high at the southern region of my state meanwhile it is low in the other region in the same state. So, we need to know the nature of the river before we carry out the survey.
In the site we intended using for the practical, we were told 10.30 am to 11.00 am, the water level is low. Having gotten this information, I met with my survey team and gave them all the necessary information. Since this was my first hydrographic practical survey, I didn't consider the time that the water level will be low as an important thing.
We arrived by 12.00 pm. We discovered the river was on the high level. I decided to call my lecturer to inform him.
He then responded, "time and tide waits for no one." Alas! This was when it got to me that we are done for, I then understood that particular saying clearly. To cut the story short, we had to wait till the water level gets low before we could start anything. Such a time wastage.
(wink) I hope you didn't get confuse with my professional terms.
Why am I bringing this up?
Some people may feel they still have all the time in this life. And they end up procrastinating time after time. Unknown to them that the world is evolving; just as ideas is birth in our minds, new ideas and strategies keep springing up every second. If not utilized now, it will stale and mean ineffective.
Every man is given a platform in life, but when caught unprepared you miss out of it. This is why it is best you understand the time. There's a time to gain mastery, a time to fuel that passion in you. So that when it is time to show forth, it'll be like it was well planned.
When I learnt this lesson during my semester practicals, I didn't joke with any time I have. That was when I valued my time as a student, businessman and individual.
Oh! The clock is ticking, I think I should round up. Let me end by saying this: keep fueling your passion and gain mastery in it, and platform will be a work over to you.
This is John Uko Edet, writing my heart in this article with a burden that someday a world will be a better place when we look at it in the right angle to change it.
NOTE: All pictures were originally captured and edited by me