Growing up in a polygamous home was hell. My mum being the first wife worsened my feelings. She loved and still loves my dad but has not been able to forgive him for betraying her trust.

This consequently led to a mindset that doubled the effect of any little mistake my dad made. If he went shopping for my step brothers and not for me, I concluded he hated me. If he shouts at me when I misbehaved, I'll say "if it was my step brother, he won't have shouted at him"

I grew up with these misconceptions. Today I still find it difficult to sit and discuss with my dad.

That might be one of my ugly experiences. To me I see it as the worst thing that could ever happen to a man. Polygamy!

Weeks ago, I met a new friend 'David". He opened up to share his own ugly experience. In his story, he made mention that his mum had him out of wedlock during her junior secondary school days and thus dumped him with her aunt.

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He grew up not knowing his real mum thinking the mums aunt was his mum. He never met his parents till he was 13. He started huzzling in the streets of Ajegunle (a ghetto in Lagos, Nigeria) at the age of 15. He managed to raise money for his WAEC because no one was ready to sponsor his education.

Since then he has been on the streets. On Christmas holidays when everyone is with their family celebrating, he hangs around town. His parents ain't together neither are they working. He practically takes care of his needs and have been through hell.

Immediately after he narrated his story, I busted in tears. I couldn't imagine how I would have survived if I were in his shoes. My dad who despised my birth, pushed me through school to the university level.

There and then I discovered that none of my ugly experiences was really that bad.

IN CONCLUSION

No matter what you're passing through, there are over a million people across the world who will rejoice if they had that ugly experience of yours because to them, that's a good news.

You eating once a day is ugly but there are over a million who have not eaten for days
You dropping our of school is ugly but there are those who have no hope of going to school
You loosing your mum is ugly but there are those who have lost their whole family