HERE’S something for all of you who strive to build a career or branch off into business to read the book, “The Other Side of Me”by Sidney Sheldon. In those pages you will see how hard work, persistence and discipline pay off. You will see a boy wanting to commit suicide out of sheer frustration turning around, fighting hard and finally winning an Oscar. And even after the Oscar, debt ridden he strives to come up and succeeds!
I ask all those who dream of tying a noose to your frustrated neck and want to give up on life read this book before they think again of doing so. Here is an extract: “One day,” says Sheldon, “a fire broke out in a canyon near our home. If the fire spread out of the canyon, dozens of houses would have been destroyed.
A fire marshal appeared at our door. “The fire is moving pretty fast. Start to evacuate.” Jorja, my wife, hurriedly gathered the things she needed. I took Mary, who was five years old at the time, by the hand and whisked her out to the car. I had to quickly decide what I was going to take with me. In the den I had a collection of awards, a shelf full of first-edition books, research papers, sport clothes, and my favourite golf clubs. But there was something more important to take.
Rushing back inside, I grabbed a handful of pens and half a dozen yellow pads, I could have replaced at any dime store, because somewhere deep inside me I thought we might have to spend a few weeks in a hotel, and I instinctively knew I could not let my writing be interrupted. That was all I took from the house. “I’m ready.”
Fortunately, the fire department was able to control the fire and our house was untouched.” Aren’t you surprised? Sheldon did not run back into his house and grab his bankbook. He did not try to save precious stuff he had collected over the years. He did not pack a suitcase of clothes he had picked up from all over the world.
He knew he could get all those things back as long as he had his pen and paper. In other words he knew that as long as he had a mind to write whatever else he lost didn’t matter! Maybe that’s what you and I need to realise today.
If you’ve lost property, money or even a loved one, try to remember that you can always buy another house, make money again and even build new relationships as long as you have yourself. So move your butt, stop pitying yourself and make another dream come true even if you’ve just lost the first..!
—Email: bobsbanter@gmail.com
