*The views expressed in the blog are those of the author.

Difficult journey often leads the way to the aesthetic pleasure of destination. Anything you prefer to have in your life comes along with its intrinsic positives and negatives. If you choose to drive, you have to agree to take traffic jams. When you choose one side of a coin, you have consciously or unconsciously chosen its other side as well. Therefore, it is exceedingly arduous to touch the vertex of success without having gone through all the blood, sweat and tears.

There is no fast lane and easy way to the peak and those who made it to the peak did not make it easy. People with high aspirations and dreams burn their midnight candles at both ends in order to live a qualitative life. Whenever we come across any eminent personality, we think of his public glories, not the sacrifices that he made to accomplish them. In fact, nothing comes free in this materialistic world; everything has its price to be paid. We cannot even think about the story of success without an uphill battle that makes us more decisive and uncompromising to develop a winning mindset. One of its atypical examples is Bachendri Pal, who was not even welcomed as a part of the team to ascend and conquer the Mount Everest, braved all adversities and became the first Indian woman to scale the giant mountain. If she had been obsessed with negative thoughts for being ignored or unliked, she could not have achieved what she wanted to. It really takes ten years to give ten seconds. Therefore, it is well said by the Missile Man of India, “Through difficulties and problems God gives us the opportunity to grow. So, when your hopes and dreams are dashed, search among the wreckage, you may find a golden opportunity hidden in the ruins.” After all, there has to be a difference between a history maker and a history reader.

Such people live their lives like a diamond: the more they get chiseled and abraded, the more they shine. Let’s connect the qualities of a diamond with our lives. Under immense pressure and heat carbon transforms into diamond and makes its value worthwhile. Likewise, hardships, challenges, thrown spanners and obstacles make our success more valuable and glorious.  As the cut ascertains diamond’s shape and brilliance, similarly, we should also turn a deaf ear towards negativity and self-interest with an aim to have a blissful and peaceful life. Clarity and carat of the diamond determines its worth in the market. In order to increase our worth in life, we must have moral and ethical values, humility and clarity about our goals and ambitions. As transparent diamonds are rare to find in the world, we also need to have purity in thoughts and feelings and must be grateful to God not only for being bestowed with his extensive blessings but also for having a life that others still yearn to have.

Thus, know your worth because you are more important to yourself and make your today as productive and salient as you can. The end of life is not to conquer the world, the aim is to lead a happy and contended life. The end differs from person to person and you have to decide your ‘end’.

Above all, God has created you to shine like a Diamond!

-Mrs Pooja Singh, TGT (English)

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