"An injured Lion still wants to roar" Randy Pausch
The word “champion” always brought me the vision of standing on the winners’ podium, wearing a medal and glowing with pride as the crowd erupts with applause. Recently, I realized there was another meaning of the word champion when I was going through a difficult time of my life. Friends, have you ever experienced a situation when you were betrayed, humiliated, knocked down, trampled upon, thrown under the bus? I faced such a situation, I suffered silently, I had no one to turn to.
It all started last year when I received a phone call from my friend Kumar. I, Kumar and a few friends had been supporting a school for underprivileged children. The school provided free education to students from low income families. From only four, it grew to over four hundred vibrant students. Unknown to me, the school was suffering financially. Kumar told me, how during the Pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, visitors stopped coming, donations dried up and the school was unable to provide salary to its twenty teachers. Kumar proposed a fundraising event through an organization known to us. The organization, founded by a couple Ms. Bee and her husband, was held privately by them and I had some reservations trusting them with money. However, Kumar assured me, he was a close friend of mine. I was swept up in his passion and zeal and enthusiastically attended the organization’s fundraising meetings.
Although it started well, later Ms. Bee’s demeanor changed. During the fundraising meetings, she questioned - Why did people stop attending the meeting, why did Mr. Abie not show up today, where is Ms. Dee? As time went by, her accusations increased and became more bitter. In the next meeting she confronted me– Where is your friend Kumar, why is he not showing up? I became the scapegoat.
I kept my thoughts to myself - "There is no such thing as bad people, only bad attitude", I told myself. My only concern was about the twenty teachers, their families and children waiting for our financial support. I quietly worked towards that goal. In the month of December, the organization updated their website with flyers and appeals. It was Christmas, the season of giving, goodness, gratitude; my friends, well-wishers and donors contributed to the cause. We all eagerly waited for Ms. Bee and her husband to transfer the money to the school. I waited – days, then weeks, then months passed - no response.
Finally, I called Ms. Bee, “We are not supporting the fund raising” she said and hung up. Just then, I received a text message from her husband “Your donation will be returned to you.” I was shaken, I could do nothing for those children – waiting for a full meal, warm clothes, shelter, I was helpless. I kneeled, I prayed, I waited for goodness to prevail. There was no response, they never returned the money
It was a dark phase of my life – I was betrayed, humiliated, defeated. I suffered silently, I walked alone , I had no one to turn to. This was also a period of intense introspection, when one day I opened my Toastmaster’s memory book. I went over my notes on my Toastmaster mentor Emily, her sacrifice, her selfless act, the countless hours she spent with me, how she stood behind me so that I could grow and become a better speaker, a better human being. As I turned the pages, I saw the light of the people, their actions, a friendly halo, a glowing word. In my darkest hour , I found my brightest light and in that illuminated path, I discovered the meaning of the word champion - to champion means to get behind someone, stand for a cause, to lift a person up when he or she is knocked down, trampled upon, thrown under the bus. I found the truest definition of the word champion and I made a promise to myself
No matter what
I shall fight for what is right
I shall never stop trying
I shall fight for fellow human beings.
I shall never give up , never , never , never
Friend, my dream is finally fulfilled, today multiple non-profits are supporting the school, high school teenagers in Dallas recently hosted bake sales to raise money for those children, some of the undergrad interns who visited this school are organizing fundraising in US cities – Seattle, Portland, San Francisco , and spreading this story of love , kindness , compassion.
A true champion lets his self-belief fuel his determination, his strong determination propels him to take on any challenge, with every challenge he overcomes every obstacle. Friends, you may not always win, you may experience failures, adversities and setbacks; but as long as you learn from your failures, as long as you get up, push harder and higher, as long as you honor your commitments, and refuse to quit, you cannot fail.
You are the real champion. A Toastmaster's Speech Ankur Bora
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