I was 18 years old when I got married I
belonged to a very conservative family
a Balochi family we're good daughters
never say no to their parents my father
wanted me to get married and all I said
was if that makes you happy I'll say yes
and of course it was never a happy
marriage just about after two years of
getting married about nine years ago I
made a car accident
somehow my husband fell asleep and the
car fell in the ditch he managed to jump
out saved himself I'm happy for him but
I stayed inside the car and I sustained
a lot of injuries list is a bit long
Gradius a lot of my right arm were
fractured the wrist was fractured
shoulder bone and collarbone were
fractured my whole ribcage got fractured
but that injury that changed me and my
life completely was the spine injury
many people came to rescue they gave me
CPR they dragged me out of the car and
while they were dragging me out I got
the complete transection of my spinal
cord those two and a half months in the
hospital were dreadful I was at the
words of despair one day doctor came to
me and he said well I heard that you
wanted to be an artist but you ended up
being a housewife I have a bad news for
you
you won't be able to paint again next
day doctor came to me and said your
spine injury is so bad you won't be able
to walk again I took a deep breath and I
said it's alright next day doctor came
to me and said because of your spine
injury and the fixation that you have in
your back you won't be able to give
birth to a child again
that day I was devastated I started to
question my existence why am I even
alive so what kept me going was one day
I asked my brother's I knew I have a
deformed hand but I'm tired of looking
at these white walls in the hospital and
wearing these white scrubs
bring me some colours bring me some
small canvas I want to paint so the very
first painting I made was on my deathbed
where I painted for the very first time
what an amazing therapy it was without
uttering a single word I could paint my
heart out I could share my story people
used to come and say what lovely
painting so much colour nobody could see
the grief in it only I could and that
day I decided that I'm going to live
life for myself I am NOT going to be
that perfect person for someone I am
just going to take this moment
we'll make it perfect for myself but I'm
going to fight my fears so I wrote down
one by one
all those fears and I decided that I'm
going to overcome these fears one at a
time you know what was my biggest fear
divorce but the day I decided that this
is nothing but my fear i liberated
myself by setting him free and I made
myself emotionally so strong there the
day I got the news that he is getting
married I sent him a text that I'm so
happy for you and I wish you all the
best and he knows that I pray for him
today
number two was I won't be able to be a
mother again
and that was quite devastating for me
but then I realized there are so many
children in the world all they want is
acceptance so there is no point of
crying just go and adopt one and that's
what I did
I gave my name in different
organizations different orphanages and I
waited patiently two years later I got
this call from a very small city in
Pakistan I got a call and they said are
you Madiba Missouri there is a baby boy
and would you like to adopt I could
literally feel the labor pains yes yes I
am going to adopt him I am coming to
take him
and that day that was two years or two
days old and today he's six you know
when you end up being on the wheelchair
what's the most painful thing people
think that there will not be accepted by
the people because we in the world of
perfect people are imperfect
so I decided to appear more in public I
started to paint I have done a lot of
modeling campaigns I decided that I'm
going to join the national TV of
Pakistan as an anchorperson I became the
National goodwill ambassador for UN
Women Pakistan and now I speak for the
rights of women children I was featured
in BBC hundred women for 2015 I'm one of
the Forbes 30 under 30 for 2016 so when
you accept yourself the way you are the
world recognizes you
it all starts from within we have this
amazing fantasy about life this is how
things should work this is my plan it
should go as per my plan if that doesn't
happen we give up I never wanted to be
on the wheelchair
never thought of being on the beach this
life is a test and a trial and tests are
never supposed to be easy so when you're
expecting ease from life and life gives
you lemons then you make the lemonade
and then do not blame life for that it
is okay to be scared
it is okay to cry everything is okay but
giving up should not be an option they
always say that failure is not an option
failure should be an option because when
you fail you get up and then you fail
and then you get up and that keeps you
going
embrace each and every breath that you
are taking celebrate your life live it
don't die before your death real
happiness lies in gratitude so be
grateful be alive and live every moment
[Music]