“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” — Winston Churchill
By- Rabin Prasad Kalita
What else children need more than being able to learn the wisdom of life by staying under the shade of his father? I think there is no better life lesson for a child than watch his dad coming out of a tough state of affairs.
My dad succeeded over his poignant life because he always stuck to the positivity. He didn’t let his awful physical condition to run by the mental stress because he wanted to live. It chanced me to learn some integral life lessons with lots of ups and downs.
He taught me to develop affirmative vibes that had worked out like an antibody to drive away from the negativity. That helped me to search for a good reason to smile.
Here’s a true story of mine which I would like to put forward as to how I came out of my mental commotion because of the positive state of mind I inculcated. I had undergone a lot of difficulties while my father was almost confined to his room due to his chronic kidney disease. My life got paused all of a sudden. I nearly lost hope of his survival after a tiresome marathon treatment. As he had a few respirations remained with him, hence the doctor had advised me to bring him home.
In those days, if the disease got tangled, then it was near to the impossible to save the person except those who were rich enough to afford higher medical fees. In my case, I could only plea to God for my dad’s continued existence.
From day one at home, I was nursing him not as a dying guest rather treating him as my thriving dad. With my untiring attention, I could rob his mental desperation. “Everything will be an alright dad, just have faith was the only assurance to him”. I assured him with a smirk on my face all the time.
Being my elder brother was away from home, I had to be along with him 24/7. I was sticking with him like a button on a shirt so that he doesn’t get even a small space to weave his sheet of pain. Kept no stone unturned towards his tending. My involvement in his service made me skip two academic years consecutively.
I believed one day God will definitely hear my scream. I felt he had something better in its mind to shower on me any day. As I was listening to my father for all the years, who used to say “stay positive, relax, and just go with the flow, at the end all the dots will connect each other”.
Dad never missed reciting the magnificence of Krishna Geeta at every evening. I sat beside and chanted along with him. I kept on listening to the glory of Lord Krishna. I could learn and discover that the precious gifts of happiness are within me for free, the only thing I shall have to explore my inner self for a wise service.
He explained the critical myths of Geeta in a very simple way to make me understand its essence with many examples. He always advocated me to be optimistic in any circumstances and defined me in a rational way about what is success. He said, success is not what one possesses with a lot of wealth or tangibles, but success is that living happily with positive vibes.
When I grew up I could understand its inner meaning and its use in real life. One who thinks positive he will not be shackled with the odd while climbing the stairs of success.
Dad knew about our financial status at that crucial point of time. We were almost penniless and also left no quarter to borrow. Staying alive was a big challenge in front of us and rest all were secondary issues. So I kept my cool during this transition period and thought to set up a small business to run the home somehow.
Dad advised me to contact a sawmill owner who he knew personally. Accordingly, I communicated the gentleman with a personal letter from dad. The mill owner was requested for a mutual agreement and to help us to sell firewood at our place.
As we had no money to invest, the condition was to sell and pay the dues to the owner before the delivery of his next trip of firewood. I did it happily from our home and somehow I could mitigate our needs. Simultaneously, I was trying to pay back our swelling loans one by one.
Gradually dad retrieved some hope and strength from his broken health though he had to fight hard. Dad was dejected being lying in bed for a long time. Therefore he had shown some interest to keep himself busy in some creative works to set aside his boredom.
Dad was a skilled artisan. He made a lot of beautiful handicrafts out of wastages since he was pretty young. People forgot to shift their eyes looking at his spellbound arts and crafts. He gave his hundred percent whatever he did. It won’t be an exaggeration to say that he had mastery over many arts.
Hence, he wished to have some materials if I could provide. I too thought it’s not a bad idea by which he could be happy. I was contented to fetch him those as per his requirement.
Seeing him felt relaxed while focussing on his favourite work; made me happy. By then, he had held his breath not only a couple of months but also for five long years. Rather he presided over us as head of our family from his six and a half by five square feet bed.
What could have been happier than this for us! He was an undaunted fighter and also a source of inspiration. Therefore, the essence of positivity teaches me to be hopeful and encouraged me to find out an answer in a much complex phase of life. Hence, I gained more than I lost.
