Life brings to you different experiences that would form your biography and these experiences become your learning tools for which your life is shaped. The failures and successes gathered through these experiences are what we can call life. One may like to ask, what is learning?
Learning Defined
Different theories and scholarly materials exist on the definition of learning. One great theory I would like to hold firm is the one that states that learning is our "life experiences from conception, through birth and to death".
Therefore, learning can be said to be the gathering of knowledge or skills through study, experience, or being taught.
Having put this straight, permit me to take you through one of the difficult things I learned.
My Passion For Carpentry
Earlier in life, before our government, through the Ministry of Education, introduced trade subjects in schools, where subjects like tie and dye, cosmetics, auto mechanics, data processing, animal husbandry, radio, and phone repair, and a history of other subjects were added to the curriculum, I have had the passion to create furniture for home and office use. This was something I wanted to do aside from going to school.
Graciously, I started learning the trade at a younger age. As an apprentice that was still schooling, there was an agreement between my parents and my boss that I would come to the workshop after school, each day. But only two times during the weekend. The second and third Saturdays were preferable.
I sincerely put my best into the trade since I was not forced to do it. And before long, I started to understand the rudiments.
There was always wood in the shop and I was ready to explore. Over time, I was able to create stools, tables, wall hangers, desks, and even drawers.
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Modernization Became A Threat
This started with the use of electrical machines in the workshop which I was not before. Most times, before I returned from school, all the needed preparations would have been sorted using the machine. The only thing that I was opportune to learn was the final fittings which was in no way helpful to me.
On the other hand, materials became scarce because they had become expensive and my boss would never consider buying in excess. The wood texture was different, furnished and veneered. Since I was still in school, there was nothing to learn anymore.
My passion began to dwindle. I saw the need to study harder instead of becoming a banker or lawyer. And each time I looked at the luxurious lives the bankers and lawyers lived compared to that of a mere carpenter, my passion died the more.
I left the trade of carpentry for over ten years only to realize that it is now as luxurious as banking and law.
My Parents Warned Me
All warnings fell on deaf ears as I told them that I was going to be a banker and that there was no need to learn carpentry. I regretted my actions though, my stand to be a banker was actualized.
I know that I would be able to earn more if I had considered giving more time to learning carpentry after my high school. Just one year would have been a saving grace to perfect my skills.
However, since I could not meet up with learning carpentry, I decided to sell carpenter materials which is also very lucrative. I saw the need to engage in this during my apprenticeship days. My boss used to travel far to the city to be able to buy some parts that should be available locally.
It has been a jolly good ride doing business in carpentry materials, I know I would have a global brand if I had ventured carpentry proper.