October 7 to 12 every year is celebrated as the World Mental Health Week. It is important to applaud the United Nation’s decision to integrate mental health in its landmark declaration on Universal Health Coverage. I would like to share my unique journey of life so that I am able to touch the hearts of all those who are facing extreme and painful distress. The great industrialist and philanthropist Ratan Tata said, “I don’t want India to be an economic super power, but I want India to be a happy country.” I have seen happy moments coming in my life like a colourful rainbow, but I have also seen them withering away like ordinary dew drops. I won awards and accolades as a best national trainer in my organisations for training people to do financial health reviews, but cried bitterly as I failed to plan for my own wife’s and children’s future.
I inscribed the acronym “FAMILY” which means “Father and Mother I love you” on my heart. However, ever since the death of my mother on Aug 22, 2010, it has been like a long dark night in my life. I have been eagerly waiting for the bright light of hope, joy and happiness but I saw only the dark tunnel giving me company.
The hurts were deeper and painful as the human relationships were very dear to me. Sinful thoughts have been haunting me due to social criticism, job stress and financial crises. They led me in a depression. I felt like as if a huge rock was on my heart. It was difficult to stand, walk and work.
However, I was blessed as a Catholic Priest provided me the opportunity to offer these sinful thoughts through a counselling cum confession to God.
Today, I may be stinking of failure like the prodigal son but I believe that God will welcome back with celebration and fanfare. Whenever, I face tough situations in life, I know for sure that the painful moments will be followed by a blessing from Almighty God. Today, whatever the situation I may be facing, I have learnt the beautiful art of saying, “God has blessed me with so many blessings and graces”.
I have realised that the joy and happiness of my beautiful relationship with Lord Jesus Christ will not wither away like those ordinary dew drops but remain in my heart till my last breadth.
Psychology says that the cells in our body react to everything that our mind says. Negative thoughts bring down our immune system.
We must remember that our relationship with God is the same as our relationship with the sun. If we hid from the sun for years and then choose to come out of darkness, the sun would be still shinning as if we never left. It is important that we choose to come out of sin of darkness and turn to God. I am sure that the blessings and graces will flow. Parents and teachers must encourage the children in their journey of life to discover true happiness by helping them to live by faith and be happy inside out. Only then we will be able to ensure that our great nation India evolves as a happy country.
