The impact of positive relationships....

It is said that relationships are made in heaven, but we on Earth need to feel and nurture them. Parents give birth to a child, and then an unimaginable and everlasting bond develops with their kids. Once they bring a child into the world, their emotions, love, and feelings for that child just flow—there is no looking back. If this flow is nurtured with a positive approach, the growth and impact of the relationship become unmatched. I've observed that when both parents work together with their child, feeling equally responsible, the child grows more confidently. The warmth and security provided by both parents enable the child to achieve seemingly impossible things. I've also seen many cases where parents of special needs children, or parents of typically developing children working with a special needs child, achieve great results when they maintain a positive relationship. The impact on the child in these cases is remarkable.

Recently, my family, along with my sisters' and brothers' families, went on an outing together. My father always says that it's important to see the world and have good exposure to life around you, but he also emphasizes that relationships with loved ones are equally important. If you maintain positive relationships with your loved ones, then during times when you feel low, face financial difficulties, or experience emotional upsets, you'll have someone to rely on. My parents have taught us that God has given us life on this Earth, and the relationships with our close and loved ones are also His gift, so we need to maintain them with positivity.

I read somewhere that if you feel pain in your body, it's a signal that something is wrong. Pain is an opportunity to bring awareness to your system so that you can investigate what’s causing it. But if you simply take a painkiller and don't address the root cause, the ailment will continue to grow, and one day it might become so severe that it can no longer be reversed. Relationships are similar—if you feel pain in them, you need to sit down and find the cause, approaching it with a positive mindset. If you ignore the issues and move on, it becomes difficult to maintain the relationship. This is especially crucial for today’s youngsters, who often don’t have time to sit and discuss their emotions and feelings with their parents and loved ones. If these issues are left unresolved, they will grow into both physical and mental pain, and if not taken care of, only God will be able to help with survival.

It is said that relationships cannot grow without proper communication, and I often wonder how well hearing-impaired children communicate with me. Recently, I visited a deaf school where more than 50 kids were present. As soon as they saw me, they put their hands on their ears and, through gestures, told their teachers that I was the one who gave them hearing aids. They were all so excited to see me visiting them. With the help of their teachers, they showed me how well they could communicate. I received flowers as a welcome gesture, and I gave a flower to one child who spoke very nicely. There was another deaf child who, using her hands, also asked for a flower. Both of them so sweetly and innocently said "thank you" to me. I felt so much energy and positive connections with them.

We also come across people who maintain good relationships without expecting anything in return. Teachers, for example, work with students from diverse backgrounds—different economic statuses, religions, and more—yet they treat them all equally. Even when a student struggles academically, a teacher works with a positive attitude to help that student succeed. Our principal, who is nearing 100 years old, still maintains such warm relationships with her students; she remembers everyone’s face, name, and potential. If teaching as a profession can foster such strong relationships, why can't we maintain the same in every professional field? All it takes is a positive attitude to make it happen.

Lord Krishna and Lord Rama, during the Mahabharata and Ramayana, emphasized the importance of having strong relationships with our community and country. We are surrounded by people—whether they are known relatives or strangers, good people or bad. As individuals, we must choose to align ourselves with good people, work with good karma, and uphold dharma, rather than spreading negativity and joining the ranks of those who do wrong. Life is a vicious cycle, and one day those who follow the path of adharma will face calamity and pay for their misdeeds. Today, we see some athletes winning at the Olympics who carry the spirit of their country within them, and their dedication drives them to work for their nation. If they can do it, why can't we? It all comes down to our positivity and mindset in everything we do.

Relationships with our loved ones, our community, our country, and even our own soul should be healthy. Whatever you do today, or feel compelled to do, should satisfy your soul. Remember, every relationship is built on a foundation of trust. Trust your instincts, and develop trust in your relationships with others, so that love can flourish in this world. It is also said that no matter how successful you are, there is no substitute for relationships—you need them. So, strive to maintain them with positivity.