Category Archives: people
Against All Odds
Last night, I had dinner with an old friend and colleague. That may not sound special, but it was. Very special.
Let’s call her Sarah. Two years ago, when I was still making my temporary home in India, Sarah was helping me out on my business in the U.S. Late one afternoon, she left the office for her usual run with friends, and she never returned. During that fateful run, she suffered a massive, debilitating stroke – one that she blames on her “very bad” genes.
I remember calling from India, worried like anything and speaking with her husband while she was in the hospital. The prognosis was extremely poor. She had barely survived and that was only because one of her running buddies was a nurse who recognized what was happening and got her to the hospital pronto. She was certainly not in any condition to speak with me.
When I returned to the US, I touched base with her again. She was at home by then, better but rather depressed about her overall health situation. ‘Better’ only because she wasn’t spending hours on end simply sitting in one place and bawling her eyes out anymore. She told me that life as she had known it was over for her. She could never work again. Forget that, her doctors had told her that she could never read, write, drive or do much of anything that is a natural part of living for most of us.
This was her new normal.
Last week, after waiting much too long (we always have excuses, don’t we?) I got in touch with her again to see how she was doing. I had thought about her many times over the months but was always a bit “too busy” to call and say hello. I’m so glad I finally un-busied myself enough to call! 😦
As we talked, I was thrilled because it felt like I was speaking to my old friend Sarah again. As she approaches the second anniversary of her stroke, she was looking at life anew and fighting everything that was in her way to achieve what her doctors had told her she wouldn’t ever do. She was well enough for us to be able to meet for dinner.
In the months since I had spoken to her, she had taught herself how to walk, and to read and write again. She was driving! And she had started going back to the gym. She told me that she really wanted to participate in a triathalon again (she had completed one before this setback). What??! I said. Well, may be just the 5K next year – I really want to do it, she said.
And you know what? I wouldn’t be surprised one bit if she accomplishes it!
What a wonderful triumph for her. This was not some miraculous medical recovery.
She has a condition called “left-neglect” that doesn’t allow her brain to process anything that she sees with her left eye. Interestingly, she has used technology to her benefit. An e-book reader allows her to read in spite of this condition (she cannot process the left side of a physical book but an e-reader overcomes that problem because there is no left page). And very interestingly, using Lumosity has helped her re-train her brain.
So what she accomplished didn’t happen because of anything but the fact that she was determined to get her life back, and decided to work for it. I would guess that the high-achiever persona that I knew from years of working with her was awakened. Once that happened it was obviously undaunted by the huge handicap she faced.
Her attitude is simply fabulous. Rightfully proud of how far she has come, she is not done yet. She knows it won’t be easy but she has set her objectives for the next hour and tomorrow, for the coming weeks and months, and the year to follow.
:
I couldn’t be happier for you, my friend.
And as I came away from our meeting last night, I was wishing that some of those traits of yours – your strength of mind as you face those odds, your tenacity that doesn’t allow you to give up and that overall awesome attitude you have – well, I wish all of that could rub off on me. Even just a tiny, little bit.
:
:
Photo credit: By Peter van der Sluijs (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons
It’s Modi Sarkar. Get Over It.
I distinctly remember the bumper sticker that I saw quite a few times (living in the South, of course) when George W Bush won his second election. Well, technically that was the first one he won, but it was his second term, remember? It said: W is President, Get Over It! It was aimed squarely at Democrats and liberals. Like moi.
More recently when President Obama was elected (both times!), you could see a bumper sticker that said – “Obama is President, Get Over It, Republicans!“. Memories of this are a bit hazy. My premise is that a painful taunt sticks with you longer than the others. I know this was there, but I don’t remember giving it much thought. After all, it wasn’t meant for me. 🙂
Switch to the Eastern hemisphere.
Still in India, I watched as the dramatic election results unfolded and the expectations of the new Modi government (“Sarkar”) rose. And kept rising. The markets are bullish, the world awaits “India Shining” (again), and most people are behaving like they have won the lottery.
No one can accuse me of being a Modi supporter. He was about the most scary character who had the potential to become the new leader of India. The only one scarier, unfortunately, was his chief opposition, the dynastic heir-in-waiting. Perhaps that accounts for why Modi won such a resounding, no holds barred victory?
Modi campaigning
So, I sit here and contemplate the situation and the future of India (sometimes I wonder why, but that’s a question for another time). My first thought to myself is, get over it. But that’s easier said than done. So, then I wonder – really, what could and what will likely happen under a Modi government?
About the best way to get over something unpleasant is to think of all the positives that could be associated with said situation. At least, that’s what I believe. Either that or hide your head in the sand. Somehow, that prospect doesn’t appeal too much to me.
So, I’ve delved deep into my psyche to unearth the positives of Mr. Modi as the new PM. Actually, not really. I simply reasoned through the situation and his personality, and came up with enough fodder to help my thinking in a different way. See what you think.
The issue with Modi was never whether he could deliver the goods on economic growth or development of India. There was always a good chance that he could – with his unique brand of governance, determination and resolve. His marketing machine certainly gave that impression.
The issues were about whether he believed in secularism and pluralism. It was whether he would ever overcome the reality and perception of his responsibility in the Godhra tragedy, about whether he truly believed in the idea of India’s democracy, and freedom of speech, and whether his agenda was ultimately about Hindu fundamentalism – yes, even this religion based so heavily on the principles of tolerance can apparently be fundamentalist.
But. And it’s a big one! Modi comes across as one of the smartest and most savvy of leaders. How else could he get where he has reached? In addition, he has made his aggressive ambitions clear to everyone. He wanted to be the Prime Minister, leading India into her glorious future, and he got that. But he also does not want anything to stand in the way of many terms of leadership. The only way to guarantee that is to succeed and to succeed rather well.
Therefore. Isn’t he much too smart to fall into any trap? Isn’t his ego much too large to be anything close to what his detractors expect? Doesn’t he want to thumb his nose at all of them and make them simply shut up and eat their words? I say, yes!
Think about it. I believe he is out to prove to everyone how good and great he is and will be for the country. He knows that there is a spotlight shining squarely on him, and that that spotlight is not going anywhere anytime soon. He wants everyone to forget about Godhra and the past, put it behind and move forward.
My postulation therefore is that he will focus on the things that matter to most of the country. That means the agendas for economic progress and development of India, at the cost of any other. He’s got a lot to prove and major expectations to meet.
Case in point. By inviting the Pakistani PM to his swearing-in ceremony, hasn’t he in effect thumbed his nose (rather vigorously) at his detractors (yours truly included)? There’s no denying that it was a remarkably bold, calculating and smooth move on his part.
Get this. Now that Sharif has accepted the invitation, this will be an absolute first in the long and hostile history of India and Pakistan. Methinks that Modi is making a very significant and crucial point to everyone that is watching. He intends to be bold. He intends to be unpredictable. And he intends no missteps that will take anyone back to regurgitate his messy history.
To all the people whose opinions of Modi closely match mine, I say to them – watch, wait, listen and wait some more but ultimately, in India, it is Modi Sarkar, so a wise move would be to really get over it. Even at this early stage, I actually do believe there are some very good reasons we can.
Opinions are free, right? So, here’s mine. Like him or not, there are many qualities of Modi that have the potential to help/save India – he’s just a bit too smart, too proud, too much of a narcissist and too ambitious to fail. And that’s good for the country.
:
Finally, I’m certain of one thing – I’d rather be wrong (about all my previous gloomy expectations) than have him fail now. You?
:
:
Updated two days later: There was an article in the papers in India today that was rather disturbing. It didn’t take a lot of newspaper real estate because that was taken over by the Modi swearing-in ceremony planned for this evening. The news was about the arrest of a couple of people in different parts of India for either posting a Modi criticism on social media or receiving one as a message on their phone. Really? This is democracy?
So, sad to say, while I wish for everything that is positive for the country and postulate that Modi’s ambitions will overcome his weaknesses, the flip side of the discussion is that his arrogance and totalitarianism could very well upset the apple cart. And it’s a big apple cart, some 1.2 billion+ big!
So, once again, it’s watch and wait time. Fingers crossed.
:
:
The Yin and Yang of Life Anywhere 