Overcoming Hopelessness.

Yesterday while going through my PC and at the same time thinking of what I would post today, I decided to listen to a talk I’ve had for over 3months. Guess what? I’m so glad I did. Here’s an excerpts from overcoming hopelessness by Nick Vujicic. You can get the full video at ted.com

I know that there are a billion people going hungry today. I know that this year, a million people will commit suicide. That is one every second. I know that there are million slaves and I’ve met sex slaves, and I’ve seen the top of the pyramid as far as business and met the billionaires. I’ve met bankers and I’ve also met orphans.

We are all looking for something. We are all looking for hope. Hope you can’t just have just because you were born with hope. No, we’re born with pain. We’re born and live through difficulties.

Well, brokenness. Here’s mine. Today, I still have no arms and no legs, but everything’s changed. Everything. For me, I was looking for hope and happiness and I couldn’t see it for many years. In fact, if this side of the table represents my hope, truth encourages me to become all that I can be. But then we have lies, everyday, coming in our mind, people who discourage us.

Think of the 3 biggest discourages in your life. They’re not your biggest discourages. You are. You are. It only takes seconds for me to tell you something discouraging but then, you may never forget my words.

I’ve met so many 50-year-old women and 40-year-old women who still remember what their fathers told them that they wish they’d never heard. Words are powerful. And when you hear those words and then your mind starts growing with these lies. “Nick, you’re not good enough, Nick just give up, Nick you’ll never get a job”, “You won’t get married, you can’t even hold your wife’s hand”. “What kind of a father are you going to be if you can’t even pick up your kids when they’re crying?” You’re alone. Sure, your parents hug you. But their hugs can’t heal you. Just give up. Just give up. Just give up….

At age 8, I thought that I should commit suicide. Why? Because I didn’t have hope. I thought I didn’t have hope. Today you can see that I had hope. What’s the word, believing in something you do not see? Faith.

Words can only do so much. Hugs can do much more than words, but when hugs can’t do anything, that’s where faith kicks in. For me, words and hugs were not enough, but I had no faith. So I tried to give up. At age 10, I tried to drown myself in 6 inches, or 15 centimeters of water, in my home. I told my dad I just wanted to relax, but really, I wanted to end my life. I had enough. I had enough. Ok?

The first two times I rolled over. I was trying to work out how much air I hold in my lungs before I let it out.  And the third time, in my mind, knowing that I wanted to get out of here, because of the bullying in my life, because I was going to be a burden to my parents and I had nothing to look forward to. I realized at that moment that if I actually went through with committing suicide, I would leave a greater burden for my parents than they already had.

Still there was one thing less… sorry, there was one thing less hopeful or more burdensome than having a child without limbs. What is it? A child without limbs who gives up. So when I saw in my mind my mom and my dad and my brother crying at my grave if I went through with it, that one thought saved me.

If my parents never told me that I was beautiful the way I was. If my parents never told me that I was special and that I was loved, I wouldn’t be here today. So I encourage every single parent who tries their best to encourage their teenagers. And when you try to tell your children that they’re beautiful, they say, “Of course I’m beautiful, I’m your son, your daughter, of course you’re going to say that”. But they’re right. Every single human being has value and my value is not determined on how I look or what job I have, or where I’m from, where I was born, how much money, all that stuff is nothing.

So many teenagers, you know, tease each other for how we look and I tell the teenagers, “Do you think that I’m cool enough to be your friend?” And they’re like, “Yeah, of course”. I say, “But I have no arms and no legs”, and they say, “Doesn’t matter.” And I say, “Really? So it doesn’t matter that I have no arms and no legs?” They say, no, it doesn’t matter. I say then, “Actually, if it doesn’t matter, then why do we kill each other with our words, if it actually doesn’t matter?” Why do we look ourselves in the mirror and see ugly instead of valuable?

I want to ask you today, what are you looking for? If I gave you a billion dollars, would you be happy? If you gave me a billion dollars, I’d be very happy. But then if my mom dies tonight, am I happy? No. With all the money in the world, I’d never be happy. Right? Because money is something that cannot heal the soul.

So many teenagers are looking for love which, love does heal the soul, love does complete the soul. But even sex before marriage, I was a virgin before I got married. Yeah, I’ve got a gorgeous wife, we’re pregnant with our first son. And I don’t need hands to hold her hand. I only want to hold her heart.

And you know, how am I going to hug my kid? So many kids that come up to me, it’s amazing. They put their hands behind their back and hug me with their neck. And I’ve realized in life, even the worst parts of my life can be turned into good. And even more special.

So many teenagers are looking for love so they are going to go do this, and go do that and have sex before marriage. For me, sex out of marriage is like a 5 dollar Gucci watch. Sex within marriage and having sex with someone who loves you, who is committed to you for the rest of your life, going to be the mother or father of your kids, that’s what love is. You can sleep with as many people as you like but never know for sure, “Do they love me?”

Love is a life-long commitment. You see, there are choices in life. And we’re looking. I want to ask you, what are you looking for? You got to come to the truth of knowing who you are and why you’re here. William Barkley, he said, the greatest two days in anyone’s life — they day you were born, and the day you knew why.

Sure, I didn’t get a miracle. Yeah, I believe in a God who can do miracles and I have a pair of shoes in my closet. Why? I’ve seen blind people seeing and deaf people hearing. That’s fine if you don’t believe me, I’ve got it on camera. But I realized something. If God doesn’t change my circumstance, he’s going to use my life to be a miracle for someone else. When you don’t get a miracle, you can still be a miracle for someone else.

I’m going to close off with this beautiful story.

We are all looking for hope, aren’t we? What are you looking for? Money, drugs, sex, alcohol, pornography, fame, fortune. Never satisfies. It’s never enough. But I have come to peace, so check this out.

When I was 24 years old, 5-6 years ago, I was in California. And I’d never met anybody else like me. When I was 10 years old, I wished I would have met somebody like me. Never did, didn’t get that miracle. But at 24, in California, I saw a little boy with no arms and no legs, 19 months old, just like me.

I knew he was going to be bullied, he was going to go through depression, he would feel alone, I knew that he would get worried if he’s ever going to have a girlfriend and so on, and so on. I got the father to bring him up on stage in front of 2000 people. And everyone was crying. And it was a materialization of when you don’t get a miracle, you can be a miracle for someone else.

I am not a superhero, I go through ups and downs, so do you. But take one day at a time and if you haven’t found that piece of knowing who you are and why you’re here and where you’re going when you’re not here. For me, I want you to know that’s how I’ve overcome.

I don’t have any walls. My book’s called “Life without limits” and what will be, will be. I’ve acted in a short film, 30 awards. I got best actor in a short film. I’ve done my own music video.

I’ve written 2 books, first book — 30 languages, 800,000 copies. I’m 29 and we know a billion people know who I am.

Not to bring out my pride or my name or my status, trust me, I’m just like you. But I hope you are inspired to know that if I can dream big, then so can you. There are no walls. Find your peace and you’ll make your walls doors. Thank you so much.

HAPPY EASTER LOVELIES. Remember if you’ve got nothing to be thankful for,thank God for the cross.

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