Belle Ȃme:

A Reflection Paper on Nick Vujicic’s Motivational Videos

by Obret’ Maria B. Calubaquib

“Fear is the biggest disability of all. It will paralyze you more than being
in a wheelchair.” Words that were uttered by a man who is extremely and surely
more courageous and more driven than you. You won’t expect him to be, but he
really is. A man who was not given hands and feet, who has seen miracles, and a
great soldier of God. He is known around the globe because of his faith, his
motivational and spiritual speeches that moved millions of lives and captured the
hearts of the mass, his inspiring life story, and of his uniqueness. His is Nick
Vujicic, a man who considered himself a “broken pieces”.
He is a belle ame. He is a beautiful soul. A Christian evangelist and a
motivational speaker born with tetra-amelia syndrome, a rare disorder
characterized by the absence of arms and legs. But this doesn’t stop him to be an
instrument of change to people that are in pain, depression, uncertainty and
hopelessness. As Vujicic said, “God will use the foolish things to confound the
wise. God can use the man without arms and legs to be His hands and feet.”
And so he did.
Last February 11, 2020, that was the first time I have fully watched a
video of him. Having watched his two videos, I suddenly asked myself, “Why
only now?” I admit, I didn’t have any interest of his videos before because I
thought it is another kind of cliché motivational speech, only with a different
raconteur. His words are indeed worth listening, and it made me realize several
things.
The first video was in a school, so practically, the audience we’re
educators and students. Hence, he talked about his experiences of bullying,
depression, suicide, knowing how to love yourself and everything about life.
Love and contentment. He said that if you live a seed of lies in your heart
and mind and you don’t know the truth, you will die with the lie. I think this is
true. Like Nick, I was bullied. I grew up hearing words from the children of my
age, teasing and calling me names. When I was in elementary, I remembered that I
was bullied because of my dark skin, curly hair, and a weighty body. They are
usually calling me “Ita” or “Baboy”. So as a kid, these claims became the truth for
me. It was indeed hurtful and disheartening. My self-esteem and confidence were
deteriorated when I was a kid and I always had the tendency to just accept their
words, being affected or getting paranoid. I hope I encountered Nick earlier in my
life, for me to become more aware and have the courage to not to listen to other’s
judgements anymore. So that I will not care and listen to their lies and criticisms.
That is why, an introverted side of mine was developed.
 Nick wished for things when he was a kid, because for he felt that he was
not normal and something in his life doesn’t make sense. I felt that too. I wished
that I had a fairer skin, straight hair and slimmer body structure. I became
insecure, but looking back, I am asking myself now…why did I question and ask
for more even if I am basically complete and normal? What an ungrateful mind of
mine. What a foolish and immature thinking I had. Compared to Nick’s situation,
mine was nothing. It was far from his dilemmas and challenges. He is right, never
consider bullying as a tough or cool thing to do, for it’ll cause insecurity, anxiety
and depression. It must not be a culture and become a habit. Being tough doesn’t
mean, we need to bully. Being tough means we need to say sorry. We must find
positive things to do instead. Either a victim or an oppressor, we all only need to
be loved. Nick wants us to know that encouragement takes us closer to all, and
discouragement takes us away. As he said, “Love yourself a bit more, love each
other a lot more.”
Truth. As he is a physically challenged individual, his capabilities were
always doubted. So he emphasized that we must know the truth of our value,
purpose and destiny. Mr. Vujicic went beyond his limits and showed to people
that he has what it takes to be in the same level with us, or not, better than us. As
for me, I am the kind of person who frequently doubts herself. I hesitate to try
things that are beyond my comfort zone and I am sometimes scared of failure and
rejection. I always think the other people are superior than me, that is why I don’t
do debates. But Nick is right, don’t give up and find yourself. Find the persona
you always wanted to be. I must not settle for less. And HUMSS and other factors
honed me to become what I am today. I learned to voice out my opinions, ideas
and queries. I am trying to explore more when I became sixteen. I conquered
some of my fears and the only thing I must do is to remember the words of the
wise man, “You don’t know what you can achieve, until you try it.”
As a Christian Evangelist, his favorite book is the Holy Bible. So he had
talks about Jesus Christ and his undying faith.
God has a better plan for us. I admit, there were also times that I question
his plans. I know that He is all knowing, but there are some situations that I don’t
know his reasons why he did that. Like why did he give me a friend that I feel like
now is my Cross? A friend that frequently disappoints and hurts me. Is this a test
of my patience and genuineness as a friend? But it felt like, God is preparing me
for something. What I am experiencing today is just a practice. All the hardships I
am undergoing, is a way for me to be ready in worst case scenarios in the future.
Yet I have realized that my mere existence is an affirmation of that
statement. In every inch that we do, all of those were calculated and planned by
God meticulously with his ultimate power. God kept Nick on Earth when he
decided to commit suicide at the age 10. On my case, I was kept by God after the
doctor gave me a 36-hour life span after I was born because I am a premature
baby. My mom gave birth of me when I was only seven months with Acute
Respiratory Syndrome and so, I had so many health complications then. I was
baptized twice because they thought I’ll be dead anytime soon. But thankfully,
God kept me. Like Nick, we believe in miracles. There were several times that
God proved that his plans are impeccable. He might close a door today, but the
windows will surely open tomorrow.
Love, contentment, truth and knowing that God has a great plan for us.
Those were the thoughts from Nick Vujicic that struck and made me conceive
things. Love is an important aspect in respecting people, contentment is needed to
accept and finding thy authentic self, and believing that God has a great plan
because having undying faith leads to the greatest promise and blessing which is
eternal life (John 3:16).
Nick is indeed a belle ame, a beautiful soul despite of being a “broken
pieces.” He touched and moved millions of lives, and now, I am one of those.
5-10 sentenced intro. Thesis statement. Quotes.
FIRST PARAGRAH: Tell what you really feel about the subject matter. Emotions.
Experiences. Why you feel the way you do. What events led you to formulate your current
opinion on the subject. Why is it that you feel this way; what about the subject matter left this
impression to you?
SECOND: Explain to the reader the second reason why the subject matter struck you the way
it did? Did it remind certain experiences that you’ve been through?
3rd paragraph: third reason why you feel the way you do.
Conclusion: re-visit and recap your opinions on the subject restate some of your emotions
thoughts and opinions