Arthur Ashe - a true inspiration

Sometimes in life words told by a complete stranger can change our life and our perception towards it drastically... Many a words/speeches from many a great men and women who had lived on this earth have left their mark in my mind forever and one such highly motivating words were from Arthur Ashe.

Arthur Ashe

Arthur Ashe was born in the year 1943. He was a professional tennis player who had won 3 Grand-slam titles. He was considered one of the best American tennis players of his time. He had also served in the US Army for a while during the period  1966-68. Arthur passed away in the year 1993.

Arthur's life was filled with many tragic incidents starting from the loss of his mother at an early age to undergoing multiple heart surgeries and to end it all he had also contracted the deadly HIV during one of the many blood transfusions he had had for the heart surgeries. From what I have read and understood about Arthur, I can only say that he was a thorough gentleman and he continues to inspire people around the world.

Here is an excerpt of his answer to the question one might ask on a death bed - "Why ME, God?". Though some of them say that these words were told by Arthur to a question by a journalist, others opine that it was Arthur's answer to his fans' concerns. At this moment I am not really sure of the situation or to whom the below words were told, nevertheless they are truly remarkable and inspiring. Read it to get inspired.

All over the world some million teenagers aspire to become tennis players. Out of these million may be a hundred thousand reach to some sort of proficiency. Of them only a few thousand play in some circuit and only a hundred or so play the grand slam. Finally only two reach the final of Wimbledon. When I was standing with the trophy of Wimbledon in my hand I never questioned God “Why Me?” And now what right do I have to ask God “Why Me?

What is there in this speech that inspires me? The simplistic attitude towards life and accepting it the way it had come without complicating and without asking why we are the way we are. That is what inspires me a lot.

Before readin' this I'd asked myself the same question so many times... Whenever I'd come second in a running race, whenever I'd lost near and dear ones, whenever I'd missed an opportunity to win something, whenever I was at the wrong place at the wrong time for the wrong reason, whenever I was sad for reasons unknown to me, I had asked God, Why Me? But after reading these words from Arthur, I'll never question my fate. I am happy and thankful for what I am.

I hope the words of Arthur Ashe and this little article inspire more number of people to accept the life the way it is and stay happy rather than worrying and feeling sad about it.