Strive to Thrive!
With positive attitude and self belief, you can achieve anything in your life.
When I read the “Papillon” novel for the first time, exactly 26 years back, I could not leave it unfinished, I purchased it to keep it with me forever. Moreover, one reading was not enough to get the struggle of the Papillon.
The same life-changing experience I received after watching the movie “Shawshank Redemption”. I have fallen in love with Andy’s character. He is a man of few words, a banker with a brilliant mind, who always believed in hope and never gave up on his dreams.
Andy and Papillon have a very special place in my life. These two characters taught me the secret of life, whenever in a problem “Let’s strive to thrive, not just surrender to demise”. And with the practice, I learned to live this. When I face challenges, sometimes much bigger than my imagination, Papillon and Andy Dufresne help me.
Years back, when I was a marketing manager, I was called for a meeting, by Mr. Kaplan, the CEO of my organization. I was the star employee of this company. This month, I was completing 7 years on the job. I wore the best of my dress and matched it with a classy blazer. There was a reason for this much enthusiasm for this meeting. I was sure to get a promotion and a hefty increment for the projects I had finished in the last ten months.
After waiting for an hour in the lobby, I was called in. I opened the door and entered the room,
Mr. Kaplan — Come on Miss Willis, please be seated.
I took my seat. I found my immediate boss and one more person in the cabin. I said good morning to all and settled in the chair.
Mr. Kaplan — So how is everything? I heard that you are doing extraordinary on the projects.
I (with an element of happiness in my voice) — Yes Sir, it was a good year.
Mr. Kaplan- Hmmm
The two-gentleman smiled and nodded their head, somewhere my intuition said this was not a smile. But I ignored it.
Mr. Kaplan (forwarding a file to me)- Mr. Willis, have a look at this report. I received it three days back. I want to hear your comments.
I held the file and started reading it. In the next 5 minutes, my head was swirling, and I felt as if my chair is shaking, and it is an earthquake. My immediate Boss tried to take the file from me, but my grip was not soft, so he had to remove his hand. I looked up at Mr. Kaplan with shock, I found myself unable to speak,
Mr. Kaplan- This report is saying you are involved in some practices which are illegal and criminal in nature.
For seconds, I thought it is not happening, I am sleeping, and it is just a dream. But it was not. Those ten minutes were the worst of my life. I tried to answer them, but how to answer the questions which do not exist in my understanding? There were charges against me, and the company had filed a case of fraud and misinformation against me. In ten minutes, life turned upside down.
I was teary and my heart was pounding loud. Suddenly, I saw Andy, behind the chair of Mr Kaplan, standing leisurely, leaning against the wall, playing with a stone in his hands, he is wearing a serious look on his face.
Andy (winked)- Darling, apply your brain.
Papillon (sitting on the mini table placed in the right corner of that room)– Oh! Don’t bother, why bother when you have not done anything wrong?
Andy- Focus, focus on yourself.
Papillon- If you are right, don’t let anybody hurt you.
When my immediate boss, and a second gentleman whom I know now, is a company lawyer, were busy explaining how many wrong things I have done, I was busy with Andy and Papillon… I could not hear much of what was said in that cabin, I was focusing on what I have done in this job and how good I am at my work. I calculated the situation and left the cabin with the same confidence with which I had entered minutes back.
It was a big setback for me, a young energetic employee deceived badly. It took days to accept this. That day I cried as much as I could. Once acceptance was there, I started working on my next move. I hired a lawyer. In the meetings with the lawyer, I kept Andy and Papillon with me. I did my research involving the legalities of my case, I prepared myself for the challenge ahead.
Next one and a half years, Andy and Papillon were there with me in court hearings. It was fun to be with them. Whenever, in court, lawyers tried to scare me, Andy will help me to reply. Papillon ensured that at any moment I will not feel weak. It was the toughest time of my life. My family, friends, my lawyer were shocked to see my confidence and determination. I put in all my efforts and kept my hopes alive.
I won the case and got compensation too for mental harassment. The world around me had all the praise for me and my courage. They all were curious to know how a single employee fought against a huge company. I kept my secret a secret.
After becoming a mother, I tried to give this secret to my daughter. But then a few things are learned by experiencing them. I tried to give my secret to her, in small steps, when in a problem
“Let’s strive to thrive, not just surrender to demise.”
One morning, when I woke her up, she was not smiling as usual and not offered me any good morning kiss to me.
Cathy- Mom, can I miss school today?
She uses her best charms to convince me.
I- Why?
Cathy- I did not tell you one thing.
I- Hmmm, I am listening.
She sat in my lap, arms around my neck.
Cathy- a boy got hurt yesterday while playing. He got his eye hurt.
I- Ohhh! You should have told me. Poor boy, was it your fault?
Cathy- No, we were playing, it was not my fault.
I- Then why would you not go to school?
Cathy- Because his parents will visit the school. principal, teachers everybody will ask me so many questions. You don’t know what the meaning of a panel meeting is, only the school kids know.
I laughed.
I- But when you have not done anything wrong then why worry?
Cathy- (disappointed from me, Cathy slightly hit her forehead with her little hand) — Mom, how will they know I am innocent?
I- You will tell.
Cathy- But why will they believe an innocent kid, I am just a baby.
I- You are a baby with a brain. To believe or not to believe is not your job, it is their work. Why are you make all the assumptions here?
Cathy was calm and silent. That day I convinced her to go to school to present her side of the story, fearlessly.
In the afternoon, I took a break from office work and went to receive her myself from the school bus. She was coming running and jumping like a frog.
Cathy- Mommy, I did it. Mom, Mom, listen. (I stood still to share her enthusiasm) The boy is fine, my teacher told me.
She was so very happy and, in a hurry, to share the day’s happening. I sat there on the pavement, not to miss this moment. Cathy explained her story. In one breath she told me how she faced the panel and shared the complete detail of that accident.
Cathy- I told them everything (spreading her arms) everything.
I- and then?
Cathy- You know, my class teacher asked me so many questions, about what I was doing there, where I was standing, do I know the boy?
I am listening and watching her.
Cathy- I answered all her questions. You were so right they believed me.
Cathy- Mom, principal Ma’am said I am a good girl and I have a clear head. (She paused) Momma, what is a clear head, is it good?
I laughed loudly, I kept on laughing for a few minutes, Cathy was confused but Andy and Papillon were not. They were sitting on the pavement just opposite us.
I wish and dream that one day Cathy also chooses her life’s Andy and Papillon as lifelong friends, as I got. I bought Cathy, her favorite doughnut as a prize for her faith in herself.
Thanks for reading… do leave a comment if you like this, and follow me for more exciting stories!
