On December 23,2018, another book “Honey out of Rock” will delivered into the literary world.The book authored by Douglas Chimezie Nwaorji, who already has to his credit other books such as “Madu By Njo Obodo; ” Tolerance the Panacea for Peaceful Coexistence”, is a classical expose on the interplay of fate, destiny, determination, and perseverance on the affairs of mankind.
Indeed, the above elements play critical roles in the affairs of man as aptly captured in the following lines:“Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans;” “Fate is like a strange, unpopular restaurant filled with odd little waiters who bring you things you never asked for and don’t always like;” “What’s meant to be will always find a way;”.It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.
It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped. You control your future, your destiny. I can control my destiny, but not my fate. You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards.“Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans;” “Fate is like a strange, unpopular restaurant filled with odd little waiters who bring you things you never asked for and don’t always like.” “What’s meant to be will always find a way” “Do not be afraid; our fate, among others.
Honey out of the Rock tells the story of young Ruth, whose early death of the mother,Ocheze exposes her to vicissitudes of life. The demise of Ruth’s father, Akwarandu compounded the situation of Ruth,as her stepmother, Bertha makes life very unbearable for her. Despair, hopelessness are understatements if Ruth’s situations were to be strongly captured.
But like Psalms 81:16 states”But he would have also fed them with the finest of the wheat. I will satisfy you with honey out of the rock,” in the words of Thomas Le Blanc,”God extracts honey out of the rock — the sweetest springs and pleasures from the hardness of afflictions; from mount Calvary and the cross, the blessings that give greatest delight; whereas the world makes from the fountains of pleasure stones and rocks of tormen”.
When the night becomes darker, and hopelessness degenerated to despair, God of impossibility, who has remained faithful from the ages, provides hope for Ruth, and through the instrumentality of Ugwumba and Nkechi his wife, Ruth obtains a tertiary education and graduates as an engineer. God is indeed awesome, and his ways will always differ from ours.
The 77-page drama emphasises that God is steadfast and always provide silver linings even in the darkest clouds. As the plot unfolds, Ruth was visited with more goodies of life- she secures a lucrative job and Kenneth, a medical doctor.Behold”The stone which the builders refused has become the head stone of the corner”.
It is often said that”Hope is the only bee that makes honey without flowers”. The title may generate some debate because is a sweet, viscous food substance produced by bees and some related insects. Bees produce honey from the sugary secretions of plants or from secretions of other insects such as honeydew. They do this by regurgitation, enzymatic activity, and water evaporation”.
This emphasises that there is no impossibility before. God can fill every mountain, bring low every valley, make every rough road smooth, and make the crooked straight.With God,” luxuries as well as necessaries would be forthcoming, the very rocks of the land would yield abundant and sweet supplies; the bees would store the clefts of the rocks with luscious honey, and so turn the most sterile part of the land to good account.”
The book is an inspiration and a must read for those who believe in the interplay of destiny and fate.
