Trying times and struggles were part and parcel of my life. But being an ardent devotee of God, I could overcome those painful ordeals and trials with God’s blessings. I would like to share a few unforgettable incidents from the pages of my book of life.
As a small kid of two and a half years I was taken by my parents to visit the famous temple of Lord Subramanian at Palani, Tamil Nadu. They used to tell me later that I was excited to climb all the steps to the temple on a hill. But when I was 3 years of age, I was bedridden with high fever. I was admitted to the hospital and blood tests revealed that I had Typhoid fever and later Malaria also attacked along with it. I was not responding to treatments. When my condition deteriorated and I became unconscious, the doctors advised that I should be shifted to a bigger hospital for better treatment. It was past midnight and my parents could not get any vehicles. Luckily one of our family friends came. His driver was not there but he was ready to take us to Calicut which was quite far. On the way also 2 or 3 hospitals refused to admit me as I was in a very critical condition. Ultimately, after 2 long hours, we noticed a hospital called Ganesh Medical Hall. They admitted me in ICU and treated me with IV Medicines, Oxygen and IV fluids. Thanks to Lord Ganesha, I opened my little eyes and smiled at my parents!
That was only a beginning of trying times. I was saved from death many times by the Almighty. My first delivery was normal. It was conducted by my own Professors at the Calicut Medical College where I studied for MBBS. After the delivery, I was shifted to my room in Pay Ward. But by evening, heavy bleeding started and I became unconscious. My Professors and other specialist doctors tried their level best to save me. But my BP dropped and they could not locate a vein in my body to start life saving IV medicines. Then God saved me from death as a staff nurse could start IV drip on a thin vein on my hand. Later I developed severe Anemia and was about to have Heart Failure. But one of my classmates donated blood in time and I was saved.
Both my husband and I were Officers in Indian Army. We were posted in Silchar (Assam) and I was working in the Military Hospital there. One day we were going to the local market on a two wheeler along with our 3 year old son. Then a truck came at high speed and hit us from the back. When my husband turned and looked, he was shocked to see that I was thrown out on the road and run over by the truck. Acting fast, he jumped out holding our son and both of them were saved. But due to God’s grace and blessings from the elders, I had a miraculous escape! The nursing officers working in our Military Hospital were coming along the way in a small ambulance, as they were invited for dinner in the house of our Commanding Officer. That was another blessing in disguise for me. They stopped on seeing the accident and were surprised to see me getting up with minor injuries. I was conscious with no head injuries or fractures. Actually I was lying in between the four wheels when the truck ran over me. And there were no protruding parts under the truck which could have cut my body into two. Immediately they took us to the Military Hospital.
One more incredible incident happened with us in Rajasthan when we were posted in Jodhpur. Our son and daughter were teenagers. We planned a trip to Jaipur by road in our own car. My husband was driving the car with me on the front seat and children on the back seats. It was around 11 a.m. and we were about to reach near the famous Ajmer Dargah. It was a broad highway. One truck was coming in front of us and then another truck was trying to overtake it. Suddenly an Ambassador car came at high speed in front of us. We were on the extreme left side of the road. Instead of turning to our right side, the car hit with such an impact that the front panel of our car got crushed and we were sandwiched in between. The driver must have slept or lost control. That was a fatal accident but all the four of us survived with God’s grace. We were dragged out of the broken car. We did not have head injuries as we were wearing seat belts. My husband had fractures of both knees, I had fracture ribs and our children had minor injuries. So we survived that trying time too.
I realize that belief in God makes us stronger and only He can decide our path and destiny. The Bhagvad Gita says: ‘Know this for certain. My devotee is never lost.’ The path of the life of a true devotee is illuminated with divine light. God, the Supreme Father of all, hears every prayer. Prayers can change our lives. No one in the world loves us as much as God does. But we tend to remember God in adversity and ignore Him in prosperity. We should learn to count our blessings and thank God for his kindness. Those who face hardships but believe in God emerge as winners.
My journey of life was full of ordeals and struggles. But I came out as a determined survivor due to God’s blessings which can turn struggles into success and despair into faith. Miracles do happen by the grace of God. The very fact that I survived from many unfortunate incidents in my life, was nothing less than a miracle. Life is a long journey and God leaves His footprints on the way. I remember the famous poem ‘Footprints’ and God’s reply to the person doubting about Him in that poem:
“My precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trials and suffering, when you have seen only one set of Footprints, it was then that I carried you!”
Tears of joy roll down my cheeks and these words come out from the bottom of my heart with gratitude: “Dear God…That was you who saved me? THANK YOU GOD!”
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