Check Your Motivation

While most of us go through life crippled by fear and laziness, only some boldly unlock the power of right motivation within themselves. Nandini Sarkar urges us to look beyond our problems and be inspired to work toward the collective good.

- Nandini Sarkar

 Heavy monsoon clouds peeped in from the large, open windows. A cool gust of wind played with his spotless white dhoti and kurta, trying to break his reverie. He seemed oblivious to his surroundings, lying down on his easy chair with his eyes closed, nearing his end. Alzheimer’s and dementia had set into this 80-year old man and he no longer recognised anyone. In the past few months, he had only spoken of Monu-da, his favourite brother who is now deceased. He reminisced their carefree childhood, as two very naughty boys in Bangladesh, Sonar Bangla, playing football on the banks of the Rupsha river. Deluded by dementia, he often addressed my husband, Sushobhan, as Monuda. “Monu-da!” he exclaimed, all of a sudden, opening his eyes and looking at my husband. “Take me back to Khulna. I have asked the Divine Mother to give me 10 more years to live. I am going a make a school for children there. We must start the project immediately.” He was expressing his desire to return to his home town and build a school for underprivileged children for the 50th time in the last 90 days. He had even made several attempts to run away to Khulna, but each time someone had rescued him and brought him back home. I’ve never seen a more motivated person in my life. Brimming with sheer mojo and sheer love to do something for a larger cause, Subhas Sarkar, my father-in-law, was confined to his home during the last year of his life when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Till then, he had led an active life around a loving family and faithful friends who cared for him.