My Inspirational Life

Sounds a bit narcissistic, doesn't it? Perhaps it is. But I'm not the one who says my life is inspirational. More then 50% of people I've ever met do. I understand where it comes from and am humbled that I inspire others but, it seem to generate from the simple fact that I live alone. Strange; ain't it? A good amount of people in LA live alone. Granted they have relative or parents close by and most of them didn't move countries away. But that too isn't uncommon. Lots of people have moved oceans away; and yes most of them didn't take it upon themselves to live by my philosophies and life style while paying for everything out of their own pockets. But financially independent individuals, working towards their degrees still isn't a new or unique thing for LA or many other places of the world. Which is why I stumble to grasp the concept of what exactly is it about me that makes someone say - 'Oh how brave of you' or 'how inspirational' and so forth.

Now I have narrowed it down to the fact that it has quite a bit to do with me having gone through some harsh and tough situations while, still keeping the heart of a child. And it has a lot do with my poetry and how inviting I am and ready to help despite having faced the mortifying realties of human societies.  But even in that, I am not alone. I can name over a dozen people from my generation who are like that. Now yes, combination of all of it together seems a bit rare but it's not really. Oh right, I forgot! It's got a bit to do with me being a women and not a man too. Sorry, my parents forgot to teach me gender discrimination so sometimes I forget that it's a thing.

This young person did amazing things.

One of them just happened to be giving birth to me

But let me put this in perspective for you. Let me tell you a bit about my mother. So, by the time my mum was my age, she had willingly, intentionally married a man under death threats (AKA my dad), with one of the highest bounties of the time on his head, knowing it will certainly bring death threats and danger her way. Built a significant enough household underground while helping my dad with Sikh movement. Had dealt with his arrest, her own arrest while being pregnant and, survived physical, mental and emotional torture. Had given birth to my sister and was raising her while fighting a law suit for visitation rights and running my dads election campaign while he was in Tihar jail and a whole bunch of other ones (Indian gov. moved him around quite a bit). And she won both. Isn't that something! But I'm not done yet.

After that she lived and helped built a house all over again from a tent (literally a tent) with my dad. In conditions were her kitchen cupboards were bare, she had stood up against and dealt with over a dozen different bribes and threats and a death attempt on my dads life where his car was thrown of  river Beas bridge. And had settled in Tup-Ghar, travelled to U.S. and given birth to happy little me. And all of it, by the time she was my age.

That's one of my parents. That's my mum's youth. I'm her daughter. So if I think my life is a piece of cake, it's because it is. I know it seems I've accomplished a lot in my life, and not saying I haven't, but not the first person to do so, nor the only one. Not even one of the most accomplished one's. Not that I strive to be an accomplished person, but if I inspire you, I'm glad I do. This world is in dreadful need of hope. But don't look at my life and say it's hard and I'm brave for living it. We all have been brave in our lives, in our own small and big ways. Draw inspiration from others, but most of all be inspired from the things in your own life. It won't turn you into to a narcissist. It'll put your own value into perspective. It'll humble you and give you confidence. To find any kind of truth in the universe, you have to face the truth about your own self. If you don't even know who you are, how can be you confident in your knowledge of who someone else is?  

Just like what Gurbanni says "munn jeetey jugg jeet". If you can rule your own heart (metaphorically of course, meaning your mind, thoughts and desires and all) the world is yours. Conquer your mind; you’ll then have conquered the world.