Grind or shine?????

Inspirational 692 views 7 replies

Adversity is the grindstone of life. Intended to polish you up, adversity also has the ability to grind you down. The impact and ultimate result depend on what you do with the difficulties that come your way. Consider the phenomenal achievements of people experiencing adversity.

Beethoven composed his greatest works after becoming deaf. Sir Walter Raleigh wrote the History of the World during a thirteen year imprisonment. If Columbus had turned back, no one could have blamed him, considering the constant adversity he endured. Of course, no one would have remembered him either. Abraham Lincoln achieved greatness by his display of wisdom and character during the devastation of the Civil War. Luther translated the Bible while enduring confinement in the Castle of Wartburg. Under a sentence of death and during twenty years in exile, Dante wrote the Divine Comedy. John Bunyan wrote Pilgrim's Progress in a Bedford jail.

Finally, consider a more recent example. Mary Groda-Lewis endured sixteen years of illiteracy because of unrecognized dyslexia, was committed to a reformatory on two different occasions, and almost died of a stroke while bearing a child. Committed to going to college, she worked at a variety of odd jobs to save money, graduated with her high school equivalency at eighteen, was named Oregon's outstanding Upward Bound student, and finally entered college. Determined to become a doctor, she faced fifteen medical school rejections until Albany Medical College finally accepted her. In 1984, Dr. Mary Groda-Lewis, at thirty-five, graduated with honors to fulfill her dream.

Adversity - the grindstone of life. Will it grind you down or polish you up?

Replies (7)

Onam Gupta

SAVE WATER SAVE LIFE

1821 Points Joined August 2011

Ur attitude towards the problems decide whether you just want to mourn over them or fight back.

After all problems are just the difficulties which give our mind 2 thoughts

either i should give up!

or there must be some way to get out of it. Find it out anyway and get out of it.

Its upto you which way you choose.

Vandana Mulchandani

Finance Manager

9232 Points Joined August 2007

Originally posted by : Onam Gupta
	Ur attitude towards the problems decide whether you just want to mourn over them or fight back. After all problems are just the difficulties which give our mind 2 thoughts either i should give up! or there must be some way to get out of it. Find it out anyway and get out of it. Its upto you which way you choose.

Agree with Onam....Thank you very much.

Inspiring one once again Piyush....Thank you for the wonderful sharing.

"The true measure of a man is not how he behaves in moments of comfort and convenience but how he stands at times of controversy and challenges." Martin Luther King Jr

Sourav Banerjee MA,MSW

Shabda Bramha

8847 Points Joined July 2011

Mary Groda-Lewis endured sixteen years of illiteracy because of unrecognized dyslexia, was committed to a reformatory on two different occasions, and almost died of a stroke while bearing a child. Committed to going to college, she worked at a variety of odd jobs to save money, graduated with her high school equivalency at eighteen, was named Oregon's outstanding Upward Bound student, and finally entered college. Determined to become a doctor, she faced fifteen medical school rejections until Albany Medical College finally accepted her. In 1984, Dr. Mary Groda-Lewis, at thirty-five, graduated with honors to fulfill her dream.

For sharing this wonderful story, dear Piyush, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Nothing is as motivational as true accounts of such great personalities.

Bookmarked for future reference ( especially to my daughter).

CMA. CS. Sanjay Gupta

"PROUD TO BE AN INDIAN"

114240 Points Joined February 2009

Fantastic Sharing Piyush...Highly motivational....Specially for those are afraid of this grindstone...Please dont be afraid of problems that you face in life as these will make you better and stronger....

Sanket

!..Live to Give..!

16432 Points Joined December 2010

Nature is full of wonderful examples of how adversity fosters strength.

Botanists say that trees need the powerful March winds to flex their trunks and main branches, so that the sap is drawn up to nourish the budding leaves.

Pearls form inside the shell of certain mollusks as a defense mechanism to a potentially threatening irritant such as a parasite inside its shell. The mollusk creates a pearl to seal off the irritation.

And it was Ralph Waldo Emerson who pointed out, "When it is dark enough, you can see the stars."

I don't like adversity any more, but I welcome it. It has made me stronger, more fearless, and ultimately, more successful. Stare down adversity and watch it blink.