Be Humble and Thankful...

Be Humble and Thankful

-Prem Guragain, Anaheim, CA

“I found this Diamond Rolex watch. Here is the check for $10,000. Look at this gold bracelet. Wow, $2,000 cash.” Robert gets excited hearing those comments from the team leader. These young people, in their neighborhood had organized a “donation campaign” during Thanksgiving Day. Their team leader Michael had the idea of going from door to door in this wealthy neighborhood and ask for donations. Many residents didn’t bother to open the door but these enthusiastic young people didn’t give up. They made a list of 500 homes and made up their mind to go to each household and kindly ask for donations for a great cause. They had made a nice flyer that read, “Please help those who are less fortunate. You will be abundantly blessed with this offering. Random Acts of Kindness never goes unnoticed. Please help the helpless.”

Today, when all the 20 volunteers got together and in front of their mentor, they opened up the boxes since most of the offerings were in the envelopes or in boxes and nobody would know before they reached their office, which they got for free from one of the local businessmen. When people ask them why you are all doing this, Michael would answer, “We would like to help the less fortunate children and their families in this world who don’t have enough food to eat and have no clothes to wear. While rest of the town is having fun in Thanksgiving, these children are expecting someone to give them something to eat or some clothes to wear.”

When they finalized all the cash, jewelry, other valuable articles, it turned out to be approximately $425,000. People could see their enthusiasm, the passion and belief in their eyes when they went out to ask for donations. They had only one mission : to help at least 500 children and their families in Somalia. They have heard and read so much about their poverty and nobody was taking care of them. It all started with Michael, when he was an orphan, who had migrated from Somalia. He told his story, “I don’t know who are my father and mother. When I grew up, I came to know from one of the seniors in our village that I was being sponsored by an American family, while I was in orphanage. This kind hearted couple took me in their home in Los Angeles, CA when I was 6 years old. I grew up with other rich kids in my neighborhood in Beverly Hills area, went to Stanford University, finished my Eye surgeon course and now have been an established doctor in Beverly Hills, CA.”

Nobody could tell that Michael could have been picked up from an orphanage home in Somalia. Today, when Michael sees all the fancy stuff: expensive cars, mansions, private jets, connection with the most influential people in the society, he still goes back to his private room where he had kept a small box, which contains the dress that he was wearing when he was found by these kind American couple in Somalia. Whenever he feels as if he forgot his root, he goes to this room, shuts the door, takes out those dirty, filthy clothes and thanks God for what he has now. Once his wife Josephine asked him why he locks himself in that room, he didn’t tell her the true story in the beginning but after her repeated question, he revealed the secret. Josephine cried with him and was so honored to be the wife of such a humble person.

Now, Michael is the Director, Board of Trustee, Chairman of so many non-profit organizations all over USA. When somebody asks his secret of success, he smiles and says, “Believe in your heart that ‘You are the GREATEST MIRACLE in the world’ and God has made you for a very special purpose. There is nothing that you can’t do if you put your mind behind it, and NEVER, NEVER, NEVER give up.”

By looking at Michael’s happy and successful life, it forces one to think, “Why are so many people wasting their valuable life trying to put others down and neither they become successful in their profession nor help others succeed.” Life is so precious and nobody knows when is that last breathe is taken. Many people live their life as if they will always be here, not knowing that one day, they have to leave this world too. I was fortunate enough to meet Michael in one of the charity donation events and got a chance to ask him few questions: “How can you start an organization that helps the community to be better : in spirituality, right education, creating values, protecting cultural values.” To all my questions, Michael gave me one simple answer: “Find the right leadership, always be UNITED and work as a TEAM. Remember, in TEAM, there is no ‘I’. If you follow your heart, know that this is the RIGHT THING to do even though nobody knows your name, be humble and caring, you will succeed in anything you do in life. Any project you get involved in, you will be very successful and people will be searching for you everywhere whenever there is something new going on.”

As I sat down and saw this book in front of me, I realized that it has been 5 years since Michael had left this planet, I was amazed to go back and read the page where he had personally autographed his book, that just became International best seller after his death. He had lived his life in so much social service that everybody wants to know everything about Michael’s life: CNN, Time, People, Los Angeles Times, and other media from across the world. His wife Josephine told the news reporter that people want to know about Michael and want to write his biography in 50 other languages. Michael never wanted publicity while he was alive and he had very simple philosophy: “If you think you are helpless, go out there and help others who need help more than you do. God will come to your rescue.” How true that is. What would happen to this planet earth if we have some more Michael in every corner of our society. How many of us have written our obituary ? We know that once our time is over on earth, we have to leave and go but what are we going to leave behind: Mortgage Payment, Credit Card debts and all kinds of Debts to our children as a gift or something for them to be proud of their parents who created something great so that they can follow their footsteps. Something to think about before it is too late.
-Prem Guragain, Anaheim, CA