One faithful cool evening, At exactly 4:00 PM on Saturday, I received an unexpected call from our secondary school alumni group. One of our classmates had been languishing in prison since October of last year—close to 12 months now—due to what should have been a minor traffic offence. Sadly, the case involved a highly influential individual whose car was hit, and the situation was blown far out of proportion.

So later the next morning, I joined a few of our old schoolmates in court, resolved to do whatever we could to secure his release. What I saw broke my heart. Our classmate was a shadow of himself—frail, gaunt, and clearly crushed by the long, lonely months in detention.

We moved quickly: hired a lawyer, made some key calls, and by God’s grace, he was finally released that same day.

Having influence or influential circle pays.

But the real lesson here is far deeper than the legal victory.

*What This Taught Me: is that it taught me different things I'm going to outline here:

*1. Don’t Walk Alone in Life*

Our classmate lived in complete isolation. No church, no pastor, no active friendships—he had even cut himself off from our alumni group. The last time many of us saw or heard from him was in 2015. When he got arrested, his wife had no one to call. It wasn’t until one of us randomly ran into her that we even learned of his situation.

*2. You Were Not Designed to Do Life Alone*

From the moment we’re born to the time we leave this world, we need people. Parents, nurses, friends, teachers, colleagues, neighbors—even those who carry our casket. God created us for community, not solitude. Independence is good, but isolation is dangerous.

*3. Don’t Push Everyone Away*

Some people cut ties with others under the belief that “everyone is bad” or “people can't be trusted.” While caution is wise, total withdrawal is self-sabotage. Not everyone is perfect—but not everyone is harmful. Many are God-sent helpers waiting to show up for you, if only you’d let them in.

*4. Community Is a Lifeline*

When you live in isolation, even the smallest challenge can become a life-threatening crisis. But when you live in a community, even the biggest problems become manageable. Our classmate’s twelve-month ordeal could have been resolved in days—if only he had stayed connected.

*5. Relationships Are an Investment*

Like a bank account, if you don’t make deposits, you can’t make withdrawals. Nurture your relationships. Check in. Be present. Show up for others—and you’ll find that, in your own time of need, people will show up for you too.

To my classmates who showed up at court that day —thank you for reminding us that real friendship does not expire.

Your presence, prayers, and actions made all the difference. Let’s keep standing by one another.

Don't suffer silently in isolation, speak up when you should, who knows a helper might be by the corner.

*You need people. You always will. Don’t do life alone.*

Remember this and never forget it *PEOPLE COVER US MORE THAN CLOTHES*

That's the truth!