|| Keep going, Keep growing, Keep glowing || 

There was one statement I learned from the actions of deaf kids at a recent event: "Believe that one day you will." Recently, we held a special screening of the film "Chak De! India" for over 200 kids from various special schools in Mumbai. Most of them were wearing hearing aids, and the majority were supported by the Josh Foundation. The screening was done with English subtitles, as most of the kids came from Hindi and Marathi medium backgrounds. When we were planning, many questions arose: Would these kids understand the film? Would they need an interpreter to explain it to them? Would they follow the language of the film? I have been working with them for the last 33 years and have come to understand that, although they may not have one sense organ functioning efficiently, their other senses are incredibly powerful. They possess unimaginable inner potential. Whatever comes their way, they appreciate, analyze, and work through it.

All the deaf kids were wearing hearing aids tailored to their needs, allowing them to grasp the intonation patterns of language. They were hearing the film, feeling it, and enjoying it with the help of visual cues. They truly embraced the spirit of sports. They were energetic and ready to engage with everything that came their way. We distributed food and cold drinks to them, and they shared, even though they were from different schools. They didn’t know each other, but they were willing to help one another. They made sure not to drop popcorn or drinks on the floor. They were so disciplined—more so than many typical moviegoers. During the film, when the girls on screen were struggling to score a goal in hockey and some of them cried, the kids empathized with their emotions. When the Indian team won, they jumped, danced, and celebrated their victory. Now, do you need to differentiate them from "normal" kids? They know better than we do how to keep going, growing, and glowing.

Recently, we won over 30 medals in the Paralympics. The spirit to fight among specially-abled children is truly unimaginable. I often mention in my speeches that you won’t see specially-abled kids suffering from major physical or mental health issues. I have never heard of them contemplating suicide. They are always smiling and ready to face any challenges. So, if anyone feels negativity, is mentally disturbed, or is going through a tough time, they should spend time with these lovely, beautiful specially-abled kids. You will find inspiration every day, just as I do while working with them. Their faith in God and their smiles are what keep me going, growing, and glowing.

Recently, a small five-month-old baby came to our house with her mom. She was so cute and always smiling! If you whistle or call her name, she would move her hands and legs vigorously and smile loudly to catch your attention. If you sang a poem, she would mimic lip movements and facial expressions as if she wanted to sing along with you. I realized that every human being goes through this process. When a child is small, they engage in movement, listen to their environment, and absorb language, emotions, feelings, and many other forms of verbal and non-verbal education. This learning is never undone; you have to keep going, learning, and growing. However, I noticed that when you're a child, your emotions are glowing, but as you grow older and start thinking more, that glow seems to vanish behind a thick skin. Why is that? Have you ever asked yourself?

Recently, I met a 24-year-old boy who came with his parents to see me. He studied engineering at a good college, but due to his communication difficulties, he quit and decided to join his father's business. During his speech assessment, I found that he doesn’t have any speech or voice issues. From childhood, he never had much interest in studies. While he was mentally capable—intelligent even—he was physically slow, which made it hard for him to keep up with writing. His speech motor coordination was also poor, leading to his speech becoming mixed up. As a result, people found it difficult to understand him, and that fear became ingrained in his unconscious mind, preventing him from trying to grow.

His parents visited several doctors but couldn’t reach a conclusion about what was wrong with their child. They eventually gave up, and the child continued to grow with limitations in his ability to talk. He also experienced recurrent coughs and colds, leading to breathing issues that he didn’t address. His fear of speaking in front of others, sudden frustration when trying to communicate, and feelings of guilt about not speaking well all affected his mind, body, and soul. A 24-year-old boy sat in front of me in a chair with his parents, hands folded, filled with fear and not speaking out. I felt that he needed motivation. In reality, he was absolutely normal, but he wasn’t aware of the potential he possessed. I showed him a video of one of my students who has 90% deafness. This student completed a BA, B.Ed., and an MA in Sanskrit, and now runs his own shop while speaking confidently. I told him that even with his deafness, this student is incredibly confident, while he, who is fully capable, has stopped moving forward, growing, and glowing. He must learn from him.

Sometimes we go with the flow, but when we find ourselves left alone, we don’t know how to grow. In such situations, achieving that inner glow becomes difficult, as we often get attached to our failures. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna clearly explains to Arjuna that if you become too attached to relationships and fail to understand your true karma and dharma, you will end up experiencing pain and agony. If you pity yourself and seek empathy from others, you will not grow. Eventually, you may realize that your real ethics and principles have been lost, and you haven’t faced the reality of where you need to end your negativity and failure. At that point, you have no choice but to keep going, growing, and glowing.

Rather than waiting for a compulsion to change, why not motivate ourselves to keep changing at every stage of our lives? No one knows what the future holds for us, so it’s best to build resilience and keep moving forward. To grow, we need to embrace change, be flexible, fulfill our desires, and practice kindness. We should learn to face challenges every moment. Leaving our comfort zone and embracing discomfort helps us to grow. Adopting a positive attitude connects us to a higher frequency and allows the universe to see us as kind people who welcome more positivity into our lives. We have to write our own story. I have started writing mine with the attitude of "keep going, keep growing, and keep glowing." What about you all?