We often hear our elders saying “God's ways are unforeseen and are good for one's own sake.“, which raises a doubt on our mind that what about when something tragic happens, how can that be for our own salutary ? Well, let’s try to construe that from young Suman’s life tale. Young Sumandeep Kaur,18, daughter of Sukhwinder Singh, a farmer & Maljeet Kaur, dwellers of village Sohain Khurd in Amritsar, Punjab infamous for its confinement towards women and their rights.
Limited on their resources, parents often choose to institutionalize their male child, especially to conserve upon the costs & efforts involved in sending children to schools, which are often not located at a feasible distance. Suman’s was a family of five including a brother & grandmother but unfortunately her mother passed away while she was 16; leaving behind the entire burden of the house upon her father’s shoulders.. "I was very scared when my mother died. It really made me daunted because my mother's sudden demise made me lose my courage. My father's emotional state started deteriorating and he got addicted to alcohol and my family forgot its faith in daily prayers to god as well" exclaimed Sumandeep with a deplorable face whilst boldly sharing the difficulties she faced in her life that turned upside down after losing her only support, her mother.
In spite of all odds, Sumandeep managed to complete her schooling though PSEB; she always remembered that it was her mother’s dearest wish that she studies well; after schooling, understanding the financial constraints of the family she got herself enrolled for FREE Teachers Training Skill Development program at Akal Institute of Rural Women Empowerment Baru Sahib to further develop her intellect & start a career of her own. "The idea of getting a chance to receiving education for free, alongside food & accomodation was awe-inspiring. I learnt that the Kalgidhar trust was doing this easpecially for rural girls like me in villages where most people cannot afford education or avoid sending schooling for girls, fearing of wasting money.” , tells us wise Sumandeep Kaur. Having lived through phases of extreme situations, she is affirmed that the world out there is much by its addiction to drugs or alcohol to realize the importance of imparting education to the youth, perhaps she embarked upon a mission to save & help as many as she can becoming a teacher.
Sumandeep’s family experienced her life changing right before their eyes; her alcoholic father foresweared to give up drinking to be supportive & aspiring to. The family retroverted to its faith in god & prayer, the son too took baptism following the Sikh “a learner’s” way of life.
Today, Suman strongly believes that all that she aspires to be today was triggered from an act of destiny that once appeared only tragic & unnatural; with time she realized the mystical design the destiny was knitting for her whilst taking away her mother.
As humans, we face situations where we lose something close to our heart & in no time we fall in limbo. Questioning & doubting God & his doings; failing only, to wait, to hold firm onto our faith in destiny as it eventually unfolds its craft; only to realize that the ways of almighty are far from being empathized by us 'belittled' humankind, that has no other option but patience, perhaps the only key to unravel the mysteries of divinity.
Inspired? Sponsor a rural child for lifetime and give them a quality life!
~ Harshika Maakan, B.A. (hons.) Economics
~ Rajdhani College, Delhi University, 24th Sep '13
