#PeshawarAttack

On December 16^th, I woke up to hash tag PeshawarAttack which was one of the most trending phrases on Twitter delivering about 20-40 tweets per second.  Upon further examination, the story unfolded like this.

In northwest Pakistan, in the city of Peshawar located in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – nearly 140 children and adults were shot in cold blood at an Army Public school by militants.  The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, better known as TTP has taken responsibility for the incident.  It was distressing and disheartening to see so many families lose their innocent children in the blink of an eye.  Just imagine, on a sunny Tuesday morning, the parents had merrily dropped off their kids only to see them return in a coffin.  The emotions that this news evoked were one of silent rage, anger and pain. 

Once I slowly detached myself from this brutal reality, I went back to being at the centre of my being with the question, what had just happened?  In order to answer this, I called upon a friend who is a peace building and conflict resolution expert.  I asked her to explain to me why the Taliban did what they did.  And, the crux of our discussion highlighted that the Taliban are individuals who are socio-economically displaced with severe misconceptions about their religious beliefs. 

Their only means of earning money and hope is to become “freedom fighters.”  God only knows what that means to them.  Out of economic desperation, they have resorted to becoming blind to the consequences that their actions elicit.  This ill can be cured and reversed if we only show them that there is a way out of their sad situation.  Give them hope and show them how good life can be without taking any more lives.  And, that those guns are not the answer.  I think if we engage their wives and daughters and show them that there are ways of making money honestly and fairly, and that it does not have to involve senseless killings and revenge – in other words, appeal to their good side, we might be able to help stop this brutal cancer from spreading and causing so much human pain and suffering.

“My boy was a dream and my dream was shot dead” – From Twitter - a parent who lost his son in the Peshawar attack

The Power to Change

We all have the power to change.  Be it our own situation or another's circumstance - our lives are full of daily challenges and adversities.  Only their degree and intensity vary. However, by being positive and optimistic that "all is well" - we still have the chance to rise above those challenges. Instead of focusing on what is not, let your mind see the endless possibilities of what can be.  We are prisoners of our own limiting thoughts and, largely, of fear of the unknown which keeps us from realizing who we truly are and what we can be. 

As they say, "a rut is a self dug grave."  You are not dead yet so step outside your comfort zone.  Try and experiment with new things, new ways of doing old things.  Break away from the norms (not in terms of being unethical or by disregarding the law) and see things in a different light - there is no one right way of reaching your goal.  Or, for that matter, no one right truth that will lead to your salvation.  However, I do believe that all roads lead to Rome (not literally) - you just have to figure out the one that entails your deepest passion.  Find that one thing that only you, as a unique individual, can offer.  If you find this love of yours, you are all set to be One with this Energy and to receive the abundance that abounds in this universe.

I will share with you one of my life stories that made me realize that only I had the power to change.  Ever since I was in college in an "emerging market" I had a dream of going to a top school (of course, at the time I had the least idea that I'll choose finance as my field and that I'll land in Canada!). When my husband and I did emigrate to this wonderful country in the year 2000, we had nothing - we started our lives from zero as many immigrants do.  Coming from a third-world country - it was not easy.  All we had was "hope." And, the "desire" and "will" to survive.  After several years of unwavering hard work, we were able to achieve a certain professional level that took care of our basic necessities of life.

All this while it was unclear to me how I was going to make my dream of going to a top university a reality.  In 2004, I emailed a distinguished professor at Rotman, to see if I could audit one of his courses in Derivatives.  It was possible but not financially feasible.   Plus, I did not want to pursue another degree just for the sake of getting a piece of paper.  Three years later, my friend, Joanne Hung, forwarded me an email for an information session for a brand new programme being launched by Rotman called the Master of Finance.  Bingo! I thought to myself - this could be the opportunity that I had unconsciously been waiting for.  Unfortunately, I was late for taking the GMAT and getting all my transcripts from the previous educational institution in order.  However, the following year, I did everything in my power to make it work.  And, left it up to chance to take care of the rest! 

What are the chances of getting admitted to a top business school in Canada? I would say quite low.  Lady luck was on my side – I got in.  Had I focused on the negative and let my left side (rational thinking) of the brain decide my fate, my dream would have remained a figment of my imagination.  I was excited beyond words to have turned my dream into reality.  My enthusiasm soared to extraordinary levels and helped me to go through the rigorous programme while being employed full-time, having my second child and looking after the house.  Who says that you have to sacrifice your goals for your families - that is such a huge excuse for inaction! 

So, folks, seize the day.  Time passes just like that.  If you are not doing what your heart has always dreamed of - then take courage and take risks.  Figure out the steps that will take you directly to your most sought after wishes. Only you have the power to make them a reality.  Don't settle for anything less than what you are capable of accomplishing.