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Posted: 06 Feb 2009
Don’t Give UP
by
Dr David B. Lingiah
"The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and
look for the circumstances they want and if they can't find them, they
make them."
--George Bernard Shaw
Very often I receive emails from friends around the world. Some send
inspiring quotations like the one above; others send pictures with
very moving words that are meant to get you thinking and improve your
circumstances in life. These are supposed to motivate you and get you
going forward in accomplishing any objectives through increased
willpower. This is very kind of them; whether I need them for myself
or not, it does not matter; I can always refer to them in my work.
Here I wish to comment briefly on some of them and share with you.
  
Two-legged dog Wilma Rudolph
Nick Vujicic
Dr
V.Ratnam, a friend of mine, from Malaysia
sent me pictures of a dog with no front legs. This dog walks on its
hind legs standing straight up does everything as normal. People are
amazed at this dog which does not give up, lying down. Actually some
human beings would consider themselves as handicapped and would easily
give up all hope; while others would develop new ways and skills to
get on with life as normal. In this context, Dr
Ratnam observed:
“The doors are open for only those who believe in themselves and Will
Power which can make an animal walk on TWO LEGS...!!”
Indeed, if we can’t learn from
humans, at least let us learn from our animal friends.
Another friend, Ms
Ragasudha Vinjamuri, sent me a mail
showing, an adult, Nick Vujicic, who has
no arms or legs, entertaining school kids by playing musical
instruments using his stump arms and legs, rolling on the table and
talking to the kids at the same time. He
delivered an inspirational speech to some school kids that
they would probably never forget.
Who is Nick
Vujicic?
“My name is Nick
Vujicic and I'm 25 years old. I was born without arms or legs
and given no medical reason for this condition. Faced with countless
challenges and obstacles, God has given me the strength to surmount
what others might call impossible. Along with that, the Lord has
placed within me an unquenchable passion to share this same hope and
genuine love that I’ve personally experienced with more than two
million people all over the globe.”
This gentleman is the very embodiment
of the definition of willpower in the words of
Remez
Sasson: “Will power
is the ability to overcome laziness and procrastination. It is the
ability to control or reject unnecessary or harmful impulses. It is
the ability to arrive to a decision and follow it with perseverance
until its successful accomplishment. It is the inner power that
overcomes the desire to indulge in unnecessary and useless habits, and
the inner strength that overcomes inner emotional and mental
resistance for taking action. It is one of the corner stones of
success, both spiritual and material.”
“Very inspiring, motivational and
reassuring...Lifeline is never straight, hence ups and downs, ebb and
tide, are an integral part of life. The only thing required is
strength to gather energies, get up and try again. No, we are not
going to give up easily, are we??”Commented Ms
Vinjamuri about
Vujicic’s attitude to life.
There are many examples of men and
women and animals with various forms of handicaps and deformities that
are making the best of their remaining limbs and
faculties to function as efficiently as possible through
sheer grit and willpower. We salute all those who are making it happen
in life and we wish to encourage and support others willing to get up
using the healing power of history and heritage.
Bernard Shaw’s observation about people
who get up and look for circumstances to change their fortune is worth
noted. Barak Obama did not let the colour of his skin to stand in the
way of his fight to the White House. He has the willpower and deep
faith that he could convince people of his vision; he used the given
circumstances and carried people with him. Be prepared to get up to
achieve your dreams. He used his past heritage, the history of his
people and had the audacity of hope to make long cherished
expectations and dreams come true for him and others.
Fran Briggs in an article titled
The
Amazing Power of the Human Will, said:
“The human will is the most incredible thing. I believe it is the
human will that keeps us going, when everyone else expects us to sit,
or even quit. I have always been fascinated by the heroes and
sheroes who have made indelible marks in
world history; and illustrated distinguished triumphs over seemingly,
insurmountable adversity.” She writes about Wilma Rudolph’s life which
epitomized, "breaking through limitations." Wilma’s life is an
example of the amazing power of the human will. In the
words of Bakounine : C’est en cherchant l’impossible que l’homme a
toujours réalisé le possible.
It is by seeking the impossible that man has achieved the possible.
Who was Wilma
Rudolph?
“Wilma Rudolph was born prematurely and
weighed only 4.5 pounds. Most of her childhood was spent in St.
Bethlehem, Tennessee. There, she was bedridden as she battled double
pneumonia, scarlet fever and polio. At six years old, she lost the use
of her left leg. Subsequently, she was fitted with leg braces. At the
age of 16, when she was only a sophomore in high school, The 5' 11"
Wilma Rudolph won a bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Melbourne,
Australia. And, in the 1960 Rome Olympics, Rudolph became "the fastest
woman in the world." She also was the first American woman to win
three gold medals in one Olympics. She won the 100-and 200-meter
races; and also anchored the U.S. team to victory in the 4 x 100-meter
relay, breaking records along the way.
Wilma Rudolph is remembered by family
and admirers alike, for her incredible calm and graceful demeanour
when under pressure. Valiantly and brilliantly, she removed all of her
"struggles" during the course of her lifetime. She once said: "The
most important aspect is to be your self and have confidence in your
self ... triumph can't be had without a struggle."
In 1994, Wilma Rudolph died of brain
cancer at the age 54. Few would argue that she lived a full,
purposeful, and triumphant life. Rudolph expected victory when just
about everyone else would have understood if she'd just lie down, sit
or even quit.” (Fran Briggs).
I wish publicly to acknowledge and
thank the many friends and contacts who send me these quotes and
stories which enrich my own life daily.
Reference
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Remez
Sasson(2009):
Website: SuccessConsciousness.com: Will
Power and Self-Discipline
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Nick Vujicic:Life
Without Limbs.org website.
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Fran Briggs(2009)
The Amazing Power of the Human Will
http://www.franbriggs.com
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