until I met a man who had no feet"
It is indeed difficult to find tales of optimism in a generation so busy wallowing in self pity. In times when everything is just a click away, trends change faster than you can say Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis (that's the longest English word in existence :P ) the concepts of discipline, determination and dedication have been replaced by cool, casual and carefree. Before being too preachy about moral values let me confess that I too am a part of the aforementioned C brigade who know how to get what they want and get it too but fail when it comes to long-term maintenance.
Being a student reporter, I got the opportunity of mixing with a variety of people. So when I was called for my next assignment, I kept my fingers crossed that the creative head would let me take Vidya Balan's interview! It didn't take long for my anticipatory grin to be converted into an aberrant frown. Pleased with my acumen, our director had a 'special project' for me in mind. The twinkle in the aged man's brown eyes was abstruse. He wanted me to interview a contingent of students Telegraph School Awards for Excellence. The catch was these were kids who had faced the odds, fought hard and won the battle. I was to go into each of their minds and make an inspirational (read sensational for sales) cover story out of this.
I stepped into the air- conditioned auditorium, armed with pen, paper and recorder, all set for another boring cover story which I had to sensationalise (or so I thought). Five minutes into the first interview and I realize how wrong I had been. And two hours later I was cursing myself for even having such a vile thought in my mind. Speaking to me were students who had survived cancer, fought with abject poverty, escaped child marriages, got over the social stigma of being rape victims and what not! Those who had no hands wrote with their feet and those who had no feet either used their mouth to wield the mighty pen and come out with flying colours. They were not superstars or famous personalities but these were extraordinary human beings. A common thread ran through all of them. Each of them had made a mark in life by way of sheer perseverance. They had not given up when the world gave up on them. They personified courage and determination.
I was ashamed for blaming God for all the little things that I lacked and for all the petty problems that I had in life. These fiery souls showed me the value of determination and dedication. And that was the day I decided to start a new life. A life full of gratitude, optimism and hard work.
Reminiscence courtesy goes to this quirky video by Housing.com which reminded me how I started anew.
