Prisha Khimavat

We are currently living in a world where everywhere we go we are bombarded with negativity or horrifyingly unfortunate stories. We are surrounded by tough situations and sad news. So, at a time like this, it’s really hard to stay positive and remember that this too will one day end. Now, this might sound cliche but I really want to encourage you to have hope and hold on, because we have all at some point been through a tough situation and made it through, with nothing but hope and patience. So, as I was thinking about that, I asked some people what hope means to them, or if they remembered a time where all they had was hope. I wrote down all their stories and put them together here in hopes that we can all be reminded once more that there is always a way through a tough situation.

So that being said, here are some hope stories:

July, 26th, 2005. During the Maharashtra Floods, my dad was stuck in the office, and we kept trying all night but we just couldn’t get in contact with him. We had no idea where he was, or how he was or even if he was safe. We kept seeing and hearing about the floods, but nothing from my dad. We prayed and held onto hope all night long, that he would be okay. Thankfully, he made it home the next morning, completely safe, but it was without a doubt the worst night of my life. We made it through because we had hope.

So, as I’m thinking about hope and what it has meant in my life, I can’t think of any big incidents, but I remember all the small things. I remember the times when I thought something was impossible but got myself through it. I think of right before an assessment, when my model breaks down, or when I can’t figure out the exact technicalities of a working model that needs to be submitted soon. I think of all the times when friends and group members want to give up, but I hold on to that hope and don’t give up, because I know we can get through it. I hold on to that hope, and things eventually work out. 

In 2013, a group of 14 of us went to Uttarakhand for the Char Dham Yatra, which is basically when you visit these four specific pilgrimage sites. So, we headed to Kedarnath to visit the temple there, and as soon as we got there, the weather turned absolutely awful. It was pouring rain and the temperature was freezing because we were really close to the Himalayan Mountain Range. There were constant announcements about making sure everyone stayed indoors because the weather was just getting worse every minute.

Our first night there, the river that ran next to our cottage overflowed. So, we had to rush to the second floor of where we were living, and all 14 of us crammed ourselves into that one room. That night was terrifying. We had no idea what was going on. All we could hear was the rain pouring, and the announcements telling everyone to stay indoors.  I don’t know how we got through that night, but early the next morning things seemed to calm down. 

We thought the worst was over, but truthfully it hadn’t even begun yet. At around 9 or 10 am, we saw, essentially, a huge mountain of water coming right at us. I felt my heart in my throat, and it felt like that was it, the end was here. Every building that it touched, disintegrated. People, houses, animals, everything was being swept away. It was actually a flash flood, cloud burst and a glacier melt. We were scared out of our minds. We ran back to that small room that we had survived the previous night in, and just waited for our turn to be swept away. I cannot express what it’s like to be a 13-year-old, surrounded by some of the people you love most in the world, friends, family, younger siblings, and know that any minute you could be swept away in a wave of water. To know that the end could be so close. 

To this day, I cannot believe how lucky we were. The ground floor of the building we were in was destroyed. It was covered in mud and dirt and it was in complete shambles. We made it out alive, because a huge rock got between our building and the flood, and it changed the direction of the water. About ten minutes later – though it felt like a lifetime – when everything was over, there was literally nothing left. Everything around us was broken and destroyed. The people in the buildings next to us didn’t make it out. 

Once the shock wore off a bit, we tied blankets and clothes together and managed to climb out the window. We made our way over to the temple where all the survivors were taking shelter. We were stuck there for three days with almost no food, no clothes, no proper shelter, and no communication with the rest of the world. We didn’t know how long we would be stuck there, or if anyone was even coming to rescue us. 

It was so difficult to have hope that we would get out of there, but that’s the only thing that got us through. That first night when we were stuck in that room, that awful time when the water was coming straight toward us and we just sat there waiting, and after, when we didn’t know if we would be rescued. Hope got us through all of it. From the first night, till the helicopters rescued us, we held onto that hope, even when it felt like there was none left.

When I think of hope, I think of the future, my future. I think of a world I’ve built for myself,  a world where my hard work has paid off. I feel optimistic, as I dream of being successful and financially independent. I dream of equal partnership. I find hope in knowing that dependence isn’t forever and that someday soon I’ll be independent and self sufficient.

Children are so full of hope and wonder, they’re curious about the world and they see the good in everything around them. As we get older and begin to experience reality in the world around us, bits and pieces of the hope we once had begin to leave us. We become more practical and oftentimes give up on seeing the good in things. But then when you stop and think about your own potential and the possibility of a future different from your present reality, it can fill you with hope. From that point forward, you hold onto that shred of hope and optimism for the rest of your life. 

After my relationship with my ex ended, I lost hope in love and romance. The whole relationship was intense and toxic, and honestly, a really rough experience. After that whole episode happened, I didn’t think anything would ever replace that sinking feeling I felt. I just gave up on love and the prospect of ever finding anyone. I lost hope that I would find someone who I would be able to give myself to again. I didn’t trust myself to invest so much time, love, emotion, faith and loyalty in another person. I no longer trusted myself, or believed in love.

Then he came into my life and everything changed. We had been friends the whole time I was with my ex, but I began to see him in a different light. He showed me what a healthy relationship looks like,  and he helped me find hope in love again. Today no matter how much we fight, or even if we decide to go on a break, I don’t break down or stress myself out. Because I know that even if things end between us it will be for the best. I know that it will not be a toxic situation or something that will break me.  I will be forever grateful for the fact that he came into my life and taught me to love again and to have hope that love and romance are not dead. Even if he isn’t the one I end up with, I will forever be grateful to him for giving me hope.

The main thing I’m hoping for right now is “Go Corona, Corona Go.”

Around two years ago, my dad was diagnosed with cancer, and truthfully, it was a really rough time for me and my family. During that time we found out that there was a particular surgery that he would have to undergo, and just the prospect of it was so terrifying. But in that time I was able to find hope in my friends, who really stuck with me through all of it. They were always with me and would even come down to hospital to support me through it. They provided me with so much encouragement and always made sure that I was doing okay. Thankfully, with their support and my family, we all got through it. Everything worked out, and my dad is now cancer free. 

Though everything that’s happening right now is extremely negative and difficult, there have been some positive outcomes, and I find hope when I’m focusing on those. People have been spending more time with their families and people that are important to them. People have been able to make more time for the things that they wanted to but never had time for. Everyone is being more creative, trying to find ways of engaging with each other and being social even in the midst of social distancing. There have also been many ecological benefits like lowered air pollution and cleaner waters. 

This whole situation gives me some hope that maybe people will begin to realize that the things that we have been focusing on, and giving most of our time to are maybe not as important as the things we put aside. Maybe we’ll realize the importance of spending quality time with our families and our interests. Maybe we’ll go back to our roots and pay attention to the traditions and values we were raised with. Maybe, just maybe, we’ll leave this lockdown to go to a different world than the one started with.

As for me, I find hope in knowing that this is something that everyone around the world is going through together, and that we’re able to find community and focus on the positives in a not so positive time. 

I do have more hope stories,  so I will be writing a part two, but if you have any stories that you would like to share with me, please do so! You can find me on instagram at @prisha_khimavat or you can email me at blogprishakhimavat@gmail.com! 

I hope you’re all being safe, and practicing social distancing. 

~ Prisha Khimavat ~