Discover the Best You

Pakhi was a small ambitious girl who had a tomboyish childhood. She lived in a joint family happily. She had an elder sister and brother with three years of gap among them. For her, she considered number three as the luckiest and often used to do all her work be at school, college and other matters related to number three only. She had high regard for her brother and sister and wanted to do whatever they indulged in.

But everyone has their own characteristics and limitations no matter they belong to the same blood. Pakhi was very sportive but during those days studies were given more priority than extra curriculum. When her elder sister got married and her brother went to another city to pursue his merchant navy training, she could not imagine life without them. It came to standstill. All the responsibilities to help her parents bested upon her and she tried her best to fulfill responsibilities as much she could.

She was honest and hardworking. All the family members used to say that about her. During her growth stage she use to admire success stories of Kiran Bedi, Shobha De, Indira Gandhi, Pt Usha, Lata Mangeshkar, Steffi Graf, Martina Navralitova, Medha Patekar, Mother Teresa are the well-known faces that gave her inspiration one or the other way to become something in the society. Sometimes she uses to dream to become a reporter, sometimes a radio jockey, sometimes a badminton player, an athelete etc. Above all Her father remained as one of the evergreen idol man who always used to encourage her to become independent and stand on her own feet. He had a diehard positive personality who used to give open opinion in all matters of life whenever we troddled, got hurt, became depressed and disspointed.

So far the journey was going smoothly, then came the news of her elder sister suffering from malignant stomach cancer. This was the same year when Pakhi's father got retirement from his job. Instead of celebrating his retirement party, the news of her daughters last stage came as bolt from the blue. He could not plan for his future but like a hard rock he stood beside her daughter who was bedridden now and undergoing chemotherapy treatment. By this time pakhi was also married and had a three year old daughter settled in another city. She could not help her father as not only she was in another city, but also she had a small kid to look after and a new job.

Pakhi could only cry cry and cry and felt so helpless but it was her father who always calmed her down and told her not to worry. Her courageous father spent one full year of his life in taking care of her elder sister like a new born child. All his savings were finished and her brother who had also settled in another city could not contribute due to his low income. He never broke down but always gave positivity to my sister so that she recovers faster. But destiny had something else in store for Pakhi's sister. She could not survive after 30 chemos and breathe her last in hospital. Pakhi, unknown about this fact could only see her sister swollen body in the hospital and repented she could not do anything for her. Finally, Pakhi's elder brother family came to live with parents and it took another full year from this shock. Now, brother was supportive enough to take care of father and mother. I thanked Almighty, that thing swill be turning smooth now.

Pakhi's father had a habit of writing diary, articles, and all kinds of reading stuff. He believed that there is no age to stop learning and grow your knowledge. So like a kid, he had knowledge of everything to learn and inspire others. Pakhi felt really happy to see all this as she had inculcated the same habit like her father so that she can teach the valuable lesson to her daughter as well. Pakhi's tolerance was so strong and undefeated that she never revealed about her abusive relationship with the person she is married to. It was only after six years of marriage that her parents came to know about this from Pakhi's husband who can only spoil and disturb other people lives. Pakhi's used to tell her father despite all the tortures, she is strong enough like him to handle things on her own, she will leave no stone unturned to make her husband change to a new leaf.

She cannot live separately as she was committed to take care of her growing daughter. Pakhi's father was ready to help her by all means and could not see pakhi in unstable situation, always taught her regained her strength, and never let down. Once the violence started it was harder to ignore but Pakhi had decided to be strong and fight for her rights until her last breath. It’s been long years she is still hopeful of bringing the change in her husband constant harsh behavior, abusive language, threatening calls and physical violence.

She had accustomed to all this and the energy of empowering herself came from her father only. She relates her life to the daring freedom fighters how they fought the battle for their country and sacrificed themselves unless and until freedom was achieved. Pakhi's dedication and devotion to her family and to the entire women fraternity to stand up strong and bravely fight for your rights has inherited from her father only. Although she was mentally strong, she has found in herself the #NEWYOU #NEWCHALLENGES#DOHARDWORK#STRUGGLE TO FULFILL YOUR DREAMS#FIGHT FOR JUSTICE.

All this she owes to her one and only father and acknowledge all the other great icons of India who made a sincere and inspiring contribution in Pakhi's life. I would like to highlight a short poem by Israelmore Ayivor whose beautiful words have always gave me peace of mind, I cant stop reading.

Here it is.......

The birds dare to break the egg shell

It does so in order to get out of that Hell

When it finally succeeds, it’ll then fly

To its comfort zone it’ll say bye

Are you being confined in a small space

How long will you remain at that place?

Before you can explore more territories,

Break away from the former glories.

Yesterday’s excellence is today’s average

You must strive to be better age after age

Never accept the available mediocrity

As the only preferable opportunity

Decide to grow from below to hero

And make it a point to vacate level zero

Reach out and arise with power

God’s blessings on you, will shower

Agree to grow, never attempt to be slow

Be not afraid. Never doubt. You’ll flow

The grace of God will be your guide

Taking you along, side by side. ”