Every day is distinct from the others, but what remains constant in our lives is complain. We feel lazy about having to go to the gym, being bored, having too much homework, among a million other things. We complain about our surroundings or about not having dinner out in a lavish restaurant. But there still are lotuses springing outward of the swamp.
The endearing smile on the Indian olympian, Mirabai Chanu’s face will be etched in all our cognizances ceaselessly, but only a few will know the pain that she has had to endure. Her silver medal achievement in the women’s 49-kg class weightlifting championship in the Tokyo Olympic Games is the felicitous culmination of a drive punctuated by a range of pain — physical and emotional.
Mirabai comes from a poor family. She is an ordinary girl with big dreams. She worked on them even though her family could not afford her diet and training. She created history by bagging a medal at the Olympics on the first day itself.
Mirabai’s father Saikhom Kriti Singh’s income from his job as a construction worker in the Manipur Public Works Department wasn’t enough. Her mother would run a small tea shop on the village main road to support the family.
To maintain her weight, Mirabai used to skip meals at times. She even could not attend her sister’s wedding because of the competition. She is a brilliant example for all of us, to be thankful and have an attitude of gratitude for all that we have.
It’s easy to forget that every single day is a gift. Complaining about the little things never makes anything better. Instead of discerning the glass as half-full or half-empty, just be thankful to have a glass with anything in it. After all, it could be worse. Much
worse.
Author: Amarveer Kaur