“Being challenged in life is inevitable, being defeated is optional.” – Roger Crawford.
And no way I was going to allow life to defeat me despite the challenges thrown at every point. I was determined to overcome them. Life is a journey of ups and downs, and we all are prepared to take this journey to the best of our abilities. But when Anoushka was born and diagnosed with Down Syndrome in 2001, I wasn’t prepared for it. My knowledge about the subject was negligible. But then I braced myself up and decided to take this one head-on.
My older daughter was born to me after eight arduous years and I decided to quit work and enjoy motherhood. Today as I see her achievements in university in the US as she pursues her engineering, all our efforts seem worth it.
Anoushka is our second born and she is nineteen today. A vibrant girl, who draws attention, the moment you set your eyes upon her. She is like a diva (self-proclaimed) in front of the camera, as she puts her best feet forward. She is a natural and entices everyone with her charm. Anoushka is currently pursuing pre-work placement at Al Noor Rehabilitation centre in Dubai and interns in cafes, laundries in hotels, and bakeries. She is honing her computer skills in DHL and many multinational companies. She has got exposure to the best facilities which has boosted her confidence. She loves aqua aerobics, tried her hand at horse riding, learnt cycling with the special Olympics, danced with the Shiamak Davar troupe, participated in many fashion shows by international fashion designers like Hemant Trivedi and Rina Dhaka and represented her school in many programs.
But life hasn’t been easy. The journey has been arduous but our never-give-up attitude ensured we crossed each hurdle with grit and determination. We faced failures many times but decided to celebrate the success that came our way, no matter how minuscule. Challenges pertaining to health, speech, and milestone delays were always a concern. But we dealt with them, one at a time. We set short-term goals and tried to achieve them. We decided to encash her strengths instead of having regrets about things she couldn’t do. Between the two daughters, she definitely got a bit more attention but we ensured the home environment was congenial and they were treated equally. My family, extended family and friends have been my biggest support to make things a tad easier.
Amidst all the challenges, I became a poet and an author
In all of the above, one thing I never gave up on was, my passion for penning down my thoughts in a lyrical form, yes all my trials and tribulations only inspired me to express my thoughts in poetic form. My frustrations, anger, questions from life, my successes, challenges and failures, all gave birth to my poems and that led me into publishing solo poetry books in Hindi and English and being a part of innumerable anthologies. I am fortunate to be a part of many online portals and contribute there regularly. Have been fortunate to win multiple awards for the same and been awarded as the best author by a community in Dubai along with being a finalist as the inspiring woman of Dubai. I am currently the Chapter Head of the Asian Literary Society in Dubai.
I am quite a multitasker, and I proudly say that. Apart from managing work as an entrepreneur, I also closely work with people of the determination community in Dubai and am an advocate for “inclusion.” Lots of social activities are organised by various communities here and we ensure we are a part of them.
Life is a battle, but never give up!
I think these trials got the better of me, I mellowed down as a person and shifted my focus to more constructive things. If nothing, these situations gave me valuable lessons. I believe life is a battle and we women are warriors. Our never die attitude is what makes us stand tall in society. I wish to share that we should not compromise on our desires and dreams and give them the name of sacrifice, in fact, we must find time to pursue our passion. It only makes us better people and gives us a feeling of achievement. Let the desire to achieve always be ignited within us.
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