SPARK 2015 | Page 109

IN TIMES OF ADVERSITY Strength does not come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you thought you couldn’t do. Did you know that the world record for long distance archery is held by a guy with no arms? And as a child, Albert Einstein had some difficulty communicating and learning in a traditional manner? Walt Disney was fired from the Kansas City Star because his editor felt he lacked imagination and had no good ideas. Well, all these failures did not stop them from achieving their dreams. They became a champion and a pioneer in their own right. So it’s not wrong to say that somebody who overcomes adversity is the true champion. Like Dr. Abdul Kalam once said FAIL means “First Attempt at Learning”. Someone who has used his or her failures as stepping stones towards success is the person who has learnt the most life lessons. So get ready to face hardships, get set to deal with rejection because, in doing so, you will emerge as a true leader… stronger and more capable than everyone around you. Shanti Venkatraman Supervisor