One bad habit we don’t really emphasize is “staring”. If you have a constant habit of staring at people, please you need to change. Na you get the habit but na me dae beg — issokay!
Except you’re a detective trying to uncover a crime or photographer trying to capture a perfect shot, I see no reason you should turn an ojuyobo (eagle eyes). Why would you keep looking at someone even after they catch you staring? You can just smile — an assurance that they’re safe. Or you look away, as it should be!
…but continuous staring is awkward!
Stop making people feel unnecessarily uncomfortable! If you admire their beauty or style, you can just walk up to them and drop a compliment. That’s even a great conversation starter. It might make their day too. We can appreciate beauty and style without making others uncomfortable or unsafe.
Staring can be creepy! It’s giving film crew continuity checking for errors. Ma f’oju gbe ‘yan lo (don’t kidnap people with your eyes).
Glance! Glance and don’t stare! Na where shino (adultery) dae start be that. “I couldn’t take my eyes off him/her” — shino lo n jebe (smells like stylish adultery). If we won’t lie to ourselves, our mind travels really fast when we stare. Before you say Jack Robinson, it’s either you’re abusing the person in your mind, or you’re undressing them in your head, or you’re both married with kids in your head, or you’re helping them out of poverty, or you see yourself slapping them, or the knife beside you looks like something perfect to unalive them e.t.c.
Next time you’re tempted to stare or you catch yourself staring, remember you’re making someone feel like they’re under a microscope. And there’s a fine line between admiration and invasion of personal space.
Till I’m back to stir the drink, stay gbam!
