Stay Inspired....

I remember very well a few years back when an article was published in the newspaper about the speech therapist Devangi Dalal, who is making a difference in the lives of deaf people. It was a quarter-page feature in Hindustan Times, written by a good journalist. The article was well-written and informative. Everyone appreciated it; many of my clients, friends, and family read it and congratulated me. One of my clients, who was around 75 years old and had been my patient for more than a decade, read the article.

He called to congratulate me and said he would send a gift soon. I told him there was no need and that his blessings were enough for me. He insisted, saying it was something unique that I would like. A few days later, I received my article, cut out, laminated, and titled, "This is an article about your grandmother, who has done wonderful work for society, especially for hearing-impaired (deaf) people." I was amazed to see that. I called him and felt blessed to receive it. This act of his taught me so much.

In my profession, or in any profession, we come across many people. Some are well-experienced, some are young but creative, some work with great dedication, some are geniuses yet humble, and some are very rich but very simple in their actions. Some leave a great impression on you, and I admire all those good impressions because these are the people who keep inspiring you. You stay inspired by the acts of such good people. I believe life should always be surrounded by such wonderful individuals. Just a few days back, a 90-year-old auntie came to visit me. She had written a beautiful poem on life philosophy that touched me so much that I now narrate it every day in my prayers. I mentioned this to her.

After hearing this, she told me to narrate the poem for her as she had forgotten it. I narrated it without making any mistakes or fumbling. She immediately felt great and realized that I had truly appreciated her words. She then asked for a white piece of paper to write another poem right then and there. In front of us, she wrote a poem about our relationship and our positive attitudes towards each other. These are the real celebrities, the unsung heroes, our grandparents, who inspire us with their acts and experiences. Nowadays, youngsters often prefer to stay in nuclear families, but being with grandparents always keeps kids inspired.

When I was reading inspirational quotes, I came across one that said, "Some people always look for a beautiful place, but those who always stay inspired and have faith in God always make a place beautiful." This reminds me of the story of one of the devotees of Lord Krishna, called Narsinh Mehta. He was a devotee of Krishna and would often get lost in Krishna by singing bhajans for him. He did not have enough money to run his household. Once, he was supposed to perform rituals for his father and feed all the Brahmins and some family members in memory of his father. Every year, his brother used to do it, so once he requested and sought permission from his brother to allow him to perform the rituals.

It is said that to be miserable is a habit, to be happy is a habit, and how you choose to be is up to you. Narsinh Mehta had tremendous faith in his God. He went in search of money and food for the rituals, knowing that no one would give him anything for free. Some people told him, "You sing good bhajans, so please sing, and we will see." He started singing, and everyone was mesmerized by his devotion. Meanwhile, his wife received ghee to make food, and someone left some money for the Brahmins. He sang the whole day, never realizing that the day had passed. After his singing, a few people gave him some ghee and groceries. He came home, but by the time he arrived, all the rituals had been completed by his wife. He felt blessed, and his brother saluted his devotion. Reading stories of such devoted people also helps us stay inspired.

I stay inspired by seeing specially challenged people every day, especially deaf kids whose disability is not visible. People do not understand their challenges as they do for those who are mentally challenged, partially visually impaired, or physically handicapped. Deaf people look like normal people but are socially disconnected because they can't hear and can't communicate with you. After the invention of the phone and social media, we can't go a single day without communication. Imagine they have to deal with this their whole lives. In fact, technology can help them overcome this disability, but due to myths, misconceptions, and people's perceptions, they are often ignored. Yet, they always smile and communicate with their non-verbal feelings. These are the real heroes and seeing them always keeps me inspired.

Stay inspired—how? Through positivity, joy, happiness, serenity, gratitude, love, kindness, hope, and joy—all these words and actions are learned from others and from learning from your own actions. It only takes one person to mobilize and inspire change. Even if you don't have support, you need to believe in yourself. As we've heard in earlier stories, people will listen to stories of your vision and passion and will follow you. Stay inspired always and inspire others around you.