BREAK AWAY FROM YOUR SHACKLES OF DOUBT

A week ago one of my old friends called up and said nothing for 20 minutes...being a psychology student,one instinctively gets to know that something is wrong [just kidding,the friend is from my childhood days so i can easily grasp what's troubling her]

"nishtha, i don't think i am going to appear for my exams" she finally broke her silence [yeah...even i did not say a word for those minutes]

"okay, we wont give the exams...alright?" i said [ of course had i started by asking why? how? she would have definitely shut down for other 20 mins]

"yeah...and you know why!"[YESSSS!! I KNEW IT...THANKS PSYCHOLOGY :)]

"Nope...would you care to share?" i pushed

"umm..you know right ....i always had some family issues ...umm...so...this time something has happened that i just can't afford to concentrate on studies....my engineering entrances are top on my head and i haven't even read a single lesson...plus with issues with dad and all...I JUST CANT ... I NEED U MAN....I CANT STUDY....." she started sobbing bitterly

"hey, its okay....its okay...relax..."

"i can't nishtha,i just can't..." she choked

"okay we wont....lets not think too much about it...shall we?"

"yeah..i guess that would distract me...we can do that..i am sorry i called you up after a whole long year only just to burden you with my problem..u know what...just forget it"

"forgotten madam....all forgotten ...so how were your vacations in the US?" i tried distracting her

"yeah...they were amazing...my balcony faced the Brooklyn bridge...it was so serene..my all time favorite place" finally she was smiling!! thank god

"yeah? do you know how was it build?" i asked coyly

"umm...chashmish yaar, cmon..u know i hate history..thats why neena maam hated me and kept me outside the class" [SHE IS COMING BACK..COMING BACK..YOHOO...THE GIRL I KNEW IS COMING BACK]

"she kept you out because you ate your lunch with ur head bent down under the desk during the class"  and we both giggled

"yeah...as if tujhe bada pata hai...okay u tell how my favourite bridge was built" she pestered

"okay so I read this story written by Stephen on a blog page of determination and persistence.This is a real life story of engineer John Roebling building the Brooklyn Bridge in New York, USA back in 1870. The bridge was completed in 1883, after 13 years.

In 1883, a creative engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. However bridge building experts throughout the world thought that this was an impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the idea. It just could not be done. It was not practical. It had never been done before.

Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of this bridge. He thought about it all the time and he knew deep in his heart that it could be done. He just had to share the dream with someone else. After much discussion and persuasion he managed to convince his son Washington, an up and coming engineer, that the bridge in fact could be built.

Working together for the first time, the father and son developed concepts of how it could be accomplished and how the obstacles could be overcome. With great excitement and inspiration, and the headiness of a wild challenge before them, they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge.

The project started well, but when it was only a few months underway a tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was also injured and left with a certain amount of brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to talk or walk.

“We told them so.” “Crazy men and their crazy dreams.” “It’s foolish to chase wild visions.”

Everyone had a negative comment to make and felt that the project should be scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be built.

In spite of his handicap Washington was never discouraged and still had a burning desire to complete the bridge and his mind was still as sharp as ever. He tried to inspire and pass on his enthusiasm to some of his friends, but they were too daunted by the task.

As he lay on his bed in his hospital room, with the sunlight streaming through the windows, a gentle breeze blew the flimsy white curtains apart and he was able to see the sky and the tops of the trees outside for just a moment.

It seemed that there was a message for him not to give up. Suddenly an idea hit him. All he could do was move one finger and he decided to make the best use of it. By moving this, he slowly developed a code of communication with his wife.

He touched his wife’s arm with that finger, indicating to her that he wanted her to call the engineers again. Then he used the same method of tapping her arm to tell the engineers what to do. It seemed foolish but the project was under way again.

For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger on his wife’s arm, until the bridge was finally completed. Today the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge stands in all its glory as a tribute to the triumph of one man’s indomitable spirit and his determination not to be defeated by circumstances. It is also a tribute to the engineers and their team work, and to their faith in a man who was considered mad by half the world. It stands too as a tangible monument to the love and devotion of his wife who for 13 long years patiently decoded the messages of her husband and told the engineers what to do.

Perhaps this is one of the best examples of a never-say-die attitude that overcomes a terrible physical handicap and achieves an impossible goal.

Often when we face obstacles in our day-to-day life, our hurdles seem very small in comparison to what many others have to face. The Brooklyn Bridge shows us that dreams that seem impossible can be realized with determination and persistence, no matter what the odds are."

there was a moment of silence....

"chashmish?....." she said

"yup?...." 

"i want to give the exams!....i think i can" she spoke really slowly

"you sure? pkka na? i mean if you don't want to...its okay...." but she kicked in between and said 

"i have never been so sure...kya hojaega? at the most i wont make it to the IIT...its okay ill try again...but right now because of some people in my family i cant give up...right?"

AND ALL I COULD REPLY WAS A SMILE ...WHICH SHE RECEIVED OVER THE PHONE :)

Sometimes all you need is A PUSH, A COURAGE TO BREAK THE SHACKLES OF YOUR OWN DOUBTS AND LIBERATE! [THATS WHAT SHIVANTIKA MAAM SAID IN CLASS] :)

HOPE WE ALL LEARN TO DO IT SOMEDAY

TILL THEN KEEP SMILING :)