This is one journey which never seems to end. We always expect life to be better once we get somewhere. Then, when we are there, we get frustrated when we see people ahead of us. We resolve to catch up and believe that Life will be better once we do so.
For the longest time, it seems that Life is about to start – Real Life. But then there is always some obstacle along the way, an ordeal to get through, some work to be finished, some time to be given, a bill to be paid. Then Life would start.
This is what we are trying to do all our lives – playing catch up and jumping over obstacles.
Then it dawns upon us “These obstacles are Life”. There is no road to Happiness. Happiness is the road.”
Now stop, think hard and answer:
Name
The five richest persons in the world.
The last four Miss Worlds.
The last three Nobel Prize winners in Physics.
The last six Best Actor Oscar winners.
Answer without thinking
The names of
Three teachers who contributed significantly to your education.
Three friends who helped you in your hour of need.
A few people who make you feel special.
Five people you love spending time with.
Well, the people who matter to you do not appear in the first list. But they are the ones who care about you and will stand by you, come what may.
Someone told me about this real life incident which is likely to create an indelible mark in your heart as well.
The story is of the Seattle Olympics.
Nine Atheletes, all mentally or physically challenged had lined up for the 100 mts. Race. When the gun went off not all of them were running. But, everyone wanted to participate.
Suddenly a boy tripped and fell, he did a few somersaults and started crying. The others slowed down and looked back. They stopped and came back….. all of them.
A girl with Down’s syndrome sat down next to him, hugged him and asked “Feeling better now?” Then all nine walked shoulder to shoulder to the finish line. The whole crowd applauded and the applaud fails to die down.
Because everybody knows that there is nothing more important (Happiness or should I say bliss) than slowing down and changing course to let someone win.
Sounds wonderlandish. Doesn’t it?
So lets get back to the race.
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6 comments:
Ravi is correct when he says that pearls of wisdom sound very good on paper.
He also adds that in brief moments of clarity it makes a lot of sense.
The point is that we do not seem to have the inclination to live life. We are more 'with the crowd' if we participate in the rat race.
Misfortune, I must say, gives you the opportunity to realise that there is more to life than just running around in circles. A handicap is god sent as it lets you focus on tragedies and empathise with people. "a person without shoes is unhappy till he realises what goes when you have no feet".
Continued success of any kind goes into your head and bloats your ego, making you blind to whats happening around you.
However, it would be foolish to seek misfortune to learn the lesson.
The other day a friend learnt me a lesson. A very successful businessman he had heard me crib about my misfortune for the Nth time, when he blasted me off by telling me about the court cases and losses he had to face over the same period. The magnitude of his problems made mine look puny and I realised how he had continued to offer me his shoulder inspite of the tough times he was confronting. I believe that his problems had helped him empathise with me.
So what I want to say is that not everyone will make your day, not everyone will be kind, all work will never get done and you'll be stabbed on your back atleast a couple of times in this lifetime. Learn to accept this and then see if you can live life inspite of them.
Sanjoy,
People who have not suffered can also stand by you. They are good people, really good people, but, I have noticed a subtle difference.
These people will sympathise, while people who have suffered "Empathise".
AND, when you are going thru a bad patch I think you do not need sympathy. This makes you weak. Empathy makes you stronger and gives you the will to overcome.
Notice the way I start the sentence with 'And'. Your comments.
I agree with Sanjoy on Literature.
I am very tired though. Just completed a project on Wrigley, the chewing gum company. It's 3.25 am.
Will respond in details later.
Till then just a word of caution: "Pearls of wisdom" - Follow at your own risk.
From Seshadri
I have been following the dialogue between Sanjoy and Manoj. I don't want to spoil that by adding my comment on the subject itself.
1. Obviously a high quality stuff-this dialogue.
2. Manoj is on a high, which comes after a long trough! He is enjoying what he is doing. He is feeling strong and powerful and flowing beautifully. Great!
3. Sanjoy has always been a great thinker-goes beyond the apparent and set interpretations; a great gyani of subtleties and nuances on sensitive subjects- a proud student of literature and life!
Hi,
This blog appears to be going on and on.
I thank all of the guys who have said such nice things about me. I must say I really enjoyed reading them.
I pray to God that he forgives all of you for these lies.
All I can say about my life is that, as in the story by Premchand, the bright curtain hides the grime inside.
Honestly, I don't think I am enjoying life anymore. I am in a race which requires the stamina of a marathon runner, the cunning of a Chess player and the reflexes of a F1 driver. It is too complex to enjoy. Specially when I feel that I'll get tripped, several times, before I reach the finish line.
The only silver lining is that I get a helping hand whenever I fall. Let's hope the 'Hand of God' is always there to help me score a few goals.
Well now to come to the "Pearls of Wisdom" - Follow at your own risk.
All of us have heard the 'Hare & the Tortoise race'.
Now for the uninitiated it would be worth while to know that the Tortoise had challenged the hare as he was sure that when it came to the Lake he would be quicker as he just had to swim across while the hare had to take a detour round the lake.
His calculation was not correct as the Hare won the race even after resting a while.
Looking to the popularity of the race, the jungle made it a four year event to coincide with the Olympics and the Hare kept breaking his own record at every event.
He then met me and I told him the story of the Seattle Olympics. With tears in his eyes he vowed to practise the leason at the next jungle olymics. He told the tortoise that they could both jointly hold the world record if they helped each other in the race. So while the hare was to carry the tortoise on land, the tortoise was supposed to carry the hare on water.
The hare kept his part of the deal. The tortoise went underwater.
The hare lost his life and the tortoise got the world record.
So dear friend, "Follow At your own risk" .
I am not responsible for the demise of the Hare.
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