Wednesday, January 14

Dear N

Till about half and hour back,I believed that being strong had a lot to do with the number of muscles in your body,or the amount of weight you could pump or number of hours you could jog on the treadmill.Well,I know it isn't that way,but just that somewhere down the line I had forgotten about it.Just this morning the greatest worry on my mind was that k.g and a half I had acquired over the vacations,why I was sprouting new white hair suddenly.....why My son couldn't get a perfect score in his exam....
As I reached back home, this evening(after visiting a number of banks with a close friend) who is trying desperately to get a loan,I realized(shamefully) I wouldn't be able to deal with even one tenth of what she was going through)
Even though in the middle of a severe personal crisis,it's miraculous how she manages to put even a smile on her face.However,she never lets her problems spill over into the classroom.Her students love her.She inspires them,motivates them and pushes them to do their best,each and everyday.Her sense of humour keeps me alive and in splits.When I complain about the weather or about my maid not coming since 2 days,she puts me to shame,by quietly saying(without looking up from her papers)that she hasn't heard of the word called MAID since 1965.She manages her own two kids,pesky neighbours,car troubles,pot holes,an irritated principal,severe backache,paper setting deadlines(every week),screaming kids,anxious and more childish than their children- parents.....without a sweat !!!!
Dear N.....
I don't know where you derive your strength and patience from,but I just pray that that source grants you oodles of it.Meanwhile,I shall try and pray that I never have to be in your shoes,because I 'm too mortal to deal with a situation like this.

Sometimes I wonder if our physical strength has anything to do with our being mentally tough.

19 comments:

broca's area said...

:)......nice one...u r being honest here!!

~nm said...

I know what you mean by appreciating them but still never wanting to be in their shoes. I've also come across such people and am totally in awe of such people who show so much strength and willpower. Hats off to your friend!

Veena said...

hats off and my regards to your friend.. ! take care.

How do we know said...

3 cheers for N! May her tribe increase!

aMus said...

i too hope that she never runs out of mental strength...still she needs people like you around her, because sometimes they need a comforting shoulder....

i know someone like that and i know what you mean...

Preeti Shenoy said...

Someone else's problems suddenly puts things in a very different perspective and though one feels bad for them, one also selfishly learns.
But let me tell you one thing, when the time comes we all cope. Somehow.Some may be better at it than others--but everyone manages.
Cheers
preeti

Ritu said...

Every one has the strength, and when the time comes, the inherent strength surfaces.

Wonderful and honest post

http://www.phoenixritu.com/

Parul Gahlot said...

sometimes just gritting your teeth can give you the power to face anything that comes your way. Pure physicl strength is useless without the mental resolve.

SAS God said...

NICE.

you know i had read this post the very day u posted it. wanted to write something right then, but cudnt come up with anything..except NICE. And i dint want to write just NICE.

JPK said...

@ Ghazal,

I feel good about coming back to read your blog after a long time. I think a mentally strong person can take on the world.

Regards,
Jude

Monika said...

oh i so understand what u mean...

hats off to that lady

padma said...

wonderful post!:-)Mental strength is toughest.. but then one always gains strength when crisis strikes.

Heres the song "Hero" lyrics which capture it beautifully..
There's a hero,
If you look inside your heart,
You don't have to be afraid of what you are,
There's an answer,
If you reach into your soul,
And the sorrow that you know will melt away.

And then a hero comes along,
With the strength to carry on,
And you cast your fears aside and you know you can survive,
So when you feel like hope is gone,
Look inside you and be strong,
And you'll finally see the truth that a hero lies in you.

Cheers
Padma

Gazal said...

@bro

yes i am.

@nm
they are like a wake up call,arent they?

@veena
:))

@how do we know

thank you.she'll never know,coz havent told her abt putting her here.

@suma
yes...and she gives me a lot of strength.

@PS
yes.thats true.I hope so.

@ritu
thanks ritu.

@parul
yes,and we continue to think the other way.

@satish

and i know you mean that.

@jude
long time.thanks for dropping by.

@monica

:))

@padma

yes the song is a powerful one indeed.

dharmabum said...

nothing whatsoever. we are only as strong as we think we are. it is nice to have such people in our midst, to give us something to look up to!

Mampi said...

Perhaps the physical and mental strength are inter-related. But you are honest and I like that in this post.
Back to square one. Welcome.

Balvinder Balli said...

On the occasion of the Republic Day of our country, i take this opportunity to present this award to my blogger friends who have made a difference by writing their frank opinions in their blogs as well, as in the comment columns of other blogs. These bloggers have not written any sensational or luscious stories to attract traffic to their blogs, but they have put down in prose as well, as verse, whatever they have felt strongly about, may it be about their personal lives or about a burning issue of the society. The sole purpose of their writing has been to make a difference. I wish that their ideas may fructify and bring a change in the society for better. I salute them all.
Gazal, please pick up your award from my blog.

Salil said...

Gazal:

Hats off to N. I wonder why an average person worries so much considering the kind of suffering unfortunate people undergo in their life.

I have seen a lot of people suffer coming from a similar background, and I tend to agree with Preeti and Ritu here - everybody will adjust. In fact, humans have the ability to bear enormous amounts of both physical and mental suffering.

"Physical strength is measured by what we can carry; spiritual by what we can bear.”

Cheers,
Sal

Gazal said...

@dharma
yes..they are the reality check,we need.

@mampi
:)))they are sometimes.

@balvinder
thanks a lot.I will.

@sal
yes,but like i said they are the reality kick that we need,so very often in life.

Maddening Silences said...

Hats off to N and all the women like her. We must take inspiration from them and really hope and pray that they never come across any further troubles. Really nice post and good to see your honesty and admiration coming through. TC.