Motivators can feel low too

A young dashing fella about 14 years old, asked me on my visit to Goa in 2012. I was doing a workshop with one of slum schools there during my visit and he was one of the most interesting children I came across. I couldn't turn my back to his query.

The conversation started with a casual hi and how are you. When I answered I am fine, he instantly baffled me by saying, "I saw you crying sometime back. You are not fine."

Silent for a while, I decided to have a face to face with the child and told him, "I didn't know you noticed I was crying. But I am kind of low, upset, silent and not doing anything much today."

He looked at me for a while and then asked me, "would you like to take me for a small walk by the sunset?" I obliged.

As we walked in silence towards the sunset, he said after a while, "How can you feel low? You are so strong and motivate people all along the way." 

I looked at him and could feel the tears brimming up in my eyes. I wanted to hide my tears but didn't do so. The child looked at me, almost dumbstruck. He probably didn't except to see my tears.

After a silent pause, he held my hand with a firm grip and said, "it's okay. You don't have to say it now. Maybe some other time." I was certainly take aback by this kid's maturity and gained some composure by then. We walked in silence on the beach as the sun was setting.

I then told him, "Thank You for understanding. But you know what, we are all humans. A motivator too has feelings and can be in pain. I agree I always tell others to keep smiling through challenges, but I also tell them it's okay to cry. It's okay to feel sad. It's okay to express our feelings and let go."

The child looked at me and smiled. I smiled back at him too. We sat there and watched the sunset and after sometime headed home.

He never needed to ask me anything after that for the rest of the days I was there. Whenever we met, we had the best conversations and lessons to learn from each other. Today, he's a grown up adult, well established in his life. We remain connected and have lots to share.

"Be blessed thy pain, if not for you, I would have never experienced the meaning of happiness and freedom."

pic courtesy (c)upal_rene, Goa, 2012