Gita was terrified. She had never seen her daughter so sick. She knew she had to rush her to the hospital. It was in the middle of the night, her husband was out of town and her mother had to stay back to look after her two-year-old son. She knew it was up to her to stay calm. She also knew that she had to pluck up the courage to drive to the hospital even though her driving skills were rusty. She had to do it. She drew upon all her inner reserves and successfully saw her daughter through the crisis.

In real life, serenity depends on coping and coping well. In rising to the occasion.

How many times have all of us faced the following situations?

Your husband comes home and tells you that he has invited his friends over for dinner in an hour’s time.

You have to leave town and family at a minute’s notice because your sister has been taken ill.

You have to organise a large sum of money to pay for your father’s operation.

Your child swallows a marble and is choking.

You have to present a paper to your committee in an hour’s time.

You are suddenly asked to speak at an official gathering.

Your pet dog is lost or swallows his bone the wrong way.

These are situations that call forth your abilities to cope. These are situations that are sent not to try your souls but to enlarge them.

By coping well, you become larger than you thought possible, performing miracles with good humour.

All of you are geniuses at rising to the occasion. But you have never realised how extraordinary this talent is, because it’s second nature to you.

You have never given credit where credit is due because you have never given it much thought. You do it automatically.

Every day is a hurdle race, a challenge. Notice how much of the unexpected happens and how well you cope with it without realising that you are doing so. Notice how you have become more and adept at rising to the occasion when it is demanded of you. Every time you cope well with whatever real life throws your way, it’s another deposit of confidence, creativity, and courage in your self-esteem account.

So, this week, congratulate yourself, for handling the unexpected with finesse, even if it is just a leaky pipe.

From today, when you need to rise to the occasion, make it look easy, do it with style, do it with a smile. Above all, acknowledge it to yourself and say “Well done.”