‘If You Cannot Get a Miracle, Become One’ — What are Our Excuses?
Do not forget to count your blessings, you have too many
Can you sign?
You would say, “Come on, Samar, that’s a piece of cake! I can sign with my eyes closed!”
What if I encourage you to sign — not with your hand, but with your mouth?
You are free to give it a try. You may grab a pen in your mouth and try to scribble on a piece of paper! I will wait for you..please give it a go while I am also doing the same.
Can you feel the struggle? The struggle of holding the pen in the mouth, losing its grip, holding again, and getting confused about whether to hold with lips or teeth! The tip of the pen is not moving..why is tracing a curve so tough? I am tip-stuck..too much saliva is making the pen slip by..Whew..so much struggle..cannot do it!
Finally, you gave up in just five minutes!
By now, you have surely realized how blessed you are!
Not everyone is! Imagine a scenario where people are going through struggles…much harder…day in and day out for decades in their lives.
You will be surprised to know there are so many people who are not as privileged in life as you are, no matter what scenario you are in.
I wonder which language uses this syntax! I tried English, though.😅
This story is of someone who was born to Serbian immigrants in Melbourne in 1982. His life journey is a story in itself.
He was born without any arms or legs due to a rare disorder called Tetra-Amelia syndrome. His mother was not sure even to look at him while the nurse held him. His father nearly fainted, and he felt so uneasy that the nurse had to take him out of the room.
The mother was filled with confusion, shock, and fear, questioning herself, ‘Why my child?’ It took a few months for her to finally accept and hold the baby. Imagine the scenario of your mother refusing to even touch you as a baby!
Finally, they came to terms with reality and emotional distress.
Not only he struggled with daily tasks, but other students also ridiculed and bullied him at school.
You can’t even imagine the level of difficulty that kid was facing with things that come so naturally and easily to you.
Despite all that, his parents decided to send him to a regular school instead of a school for kids with disabilities.
The kids laughed at him and excluded him from every game.
He was lonely and depressed, and he thought that he had no reason to live in the world. The constant depression made him think of dying.
He felt that he had no value and would always be a burden to the parents.
At the age of 10, he even tried several times to drown himself in the bathtub , but he stopped as the thought and picture of crying parents and siblings at his funeral interrupted him.
The years went by.
One day, his mother showed him a picture in a newspaper of a man who also suffered from a severe disability. It made him realize that he wasn’t alone in this world with this condition. He had two small feet, and his left foot had two toes.
And then things began to change.
He started to accept himself the way he was. He began to write, swim, and play with his toes. He traveled the world and inspired the lives of millions with his motivational speech. He became a preacher and a motivational speaker at the young age of 15.
He graduated in accounting and financial planning from Griffith University at the age of 23, moved to southern California, and started a nonprofit organization, ‘Life without Limbs’.
He used to say:
You may have arms and legs, but unless you know the answer to these three things: number one — who are you and what your value is; number two — what is your purpose here in life; and number three — what is your destiny when you are done here — you are more disabled than I am.
He is none other than Nick Vujicic! (Pronounced “Vooyi-chich”) Full name — Nicholas James Vujicic.
He is a humble Australian-American motivational speaker, educator, entrepreneur, passionate family person, and a proud husband and dad. He has traveled to more than 50 countries and inspired billions of people around the world.
He has written many books, such as ‘Life Without Limits’, ‘Your Life Without Limits’, ‘Limitless’, ‘Unstoppable’, ‘Love Without Limits’, and ‘Be the Hands and Feet’.
His filmography includes ‘The Butterfly Circus’, ‘The Lost Sheep’, ‘Be the Hands and Feet’, and ’Batter Man Event’.
His height of 3 feet 2 inches did not stop him from reaching the horizon. His patience, perseverance, hard work, self-belief, dedication, discipline, and enthusiasm are unparalleled.
He is an inspiring example of what it means to overcome adversity and achieve greatness despite physical and societal limitations. His flourishing motivational speaking career is the living proof of his resilience, determination, and faith.
His message of hope and perseverance has inspired so many of us, and he continues to be a powerful voice for those who face challenges and obstacles. He represents hope for individuals grappling with physical or mental disabilities.
Back in 1982, no one would have imagined in their wildest dreams that this disabled boy would even survive in this cruel society, let alone have such a beautiful family, beautiful kids, and become a millionaire! Not even his own parents or relatives would have thought so! He did it.
Instead of seeking a miracle, he became the miracle himself.
He is Nicholas Hope Vujicic!
Courage is when you’ve overcome your fear, but that doesn’t mean you’re not afraid.
Please take a look at Nick’s life journey. I’m sure you’ll enjoy these two videos and feel immensely inspired to inspire others. He is so full of life.
🤍🤍 — Further Reading — 🤍🤍
Thanks Mil for the lovely challenge. Enjoyed the creative process of writing this story. All those years, I have derived inspiration so many times from Nick’s life. He is a legend. You are incredible too.
