FREDERICK DOUGLAS

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 FREDERICK DOUGLAS 

When Frederick Douglas stood on the train that would take him to freedom, he was not sure he would get to the Northern parts of the United States. He was afraid. He was uncertain. There was no guarantee. Worse, he didn't know anyone on the other side. All he had was a name on a sheet of paper that would introduce him to a man of God.


Still, Frederick Douglas kept on. Anything could have gone wrong. If he was caught, his punishment could lead to his death. Anyone could have stayed back, but not Frederick Douglas. Freedom was something he had to have. Freedom was an ideal he was prepared to live. To get that freedom, he had to run away from slavery facing the biggest risk possible. At mid point of his life, he wrote "If there is no struggle, there is no progress" 


Most of us will choose comfort when given a choice between comfort and an uncertain future. A Nigerian proverb endorses this: "The devil you know is better than the angel you don't know."


We do not realize that there is no adventure in the known, no greatness in familiar territories, no meaning in living a life that is average, and we cannot find our purpose by living like everyone else.


Frederick reached the North in one piece. His wife joined him some months later. He would go on to establish a formidable anti-abolitionist career. Frederick Douglas became a bulwark against slavery. He campaigned vigorously and was a major part of the movement that eventually caused the end of slavery in America and worldwide. When he died, someone wrote, “His life and work has been public property almost since the day of his birth … The race will miss him more than it can at this time realize". His life had been phenomenal, he had fought against slavery, stood up as the most powerful evidence against that evil thing, shined as the most potent example of what a freed black person could become, and ultimately, he changed the view of many people during his lifetime. His book is a bestseller.


What if Frederick Douglas had chosen comfort over uncertainty? What if he had chosen, like many others, not to dare his enslavers? If he did, we would never have known about this great life. His comfort would have killed his greatness. And ultimately, he will die unknown, unsung, and with regret.


I hope this reminds you that greatness lies beyond the known. Your purpose lies beyond everything that has been established. The world does not need another person to discover penicillin; it needs a new invention. Adventures are calling your name, but first, you must have the courage to leave behind what is already established.



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