Tuesday, 31 October 2023

5 'P's FOR A LIFE OF GRACE & DIGNITY

 

When, where and in which family we are borne, is not in our hand. We also have to die but once. When, where, how, is also not known to us. Only time in between these two most important events in everyone's life, is in our hand. The time which must be Lived, not spent. How we Live, is in our hands. We can Live a dignified and graceful existence, enjoying what we have and live in Gratitude for that. All wants in life can never be fulfilled. Fulfill one and many others crop up making it vicious circle, a never ending process. So the best is to enjoy what you have but keep trying for more and better. Remain in Action mode with right intentions. Do not think about results, the awards which will automatically come. As in cricket, runs will keep coming as long as you stay at the wicket.


While you focus on staying at the wicket, remember the following FIVE 'Ps':

1. PRAYER : When you walk the way guided by humanly desires and selfish motifs, you will find hopeless end. But if you walk the way guided by Goodness, God and Spirituality, you will find endless hope and unlimited opportunities. We have to appreciate the doings of our creator, who has gifted us umpteen wonderful things. Just count your blessings. Life is an endless joy if you embrace positivity and look for good in your heart and prayer on your lips. Just fill your heart and mind with gratitude for the One who has provided so many things of joy and happiness.

   PRAYER is to keep your Connectivity with your God. Prayer is the Mobile which connects you with Him. It never fails, needs no recharge and always in five stick signal mode. Our parents provide us our physical body but 'soul', 'consciousness' or 'atman'  empower us to LIVE, is provided by God. We presume that 'soul' comes from Him for a specified period. After which it has to return to Him. So we must always keep our connectivity with out mentor, our creator through Prayer. And Prayer is not just taking His name robotically, doing rituals, visiting places of worship only but with focus, pure thoughts, deep connection and deep conversations with God during prayers. Best Prayers which bring us closer to our God, are our Good Deeds, Kindness, Compassion, Help-share-care-serve attitude towards those not born as lucky as us. That's why it is written above 'walk the way guided by Goodness, God and Spirituality to find endless hope and unlimited opportunities'.

2. PARENTING: To conceive, give birth, bring up the child, is the responsibility entrusted to parents by our creator. That's the way, this world has been running for millions of years and shall keep running for more millions. Through Parenting, Good or bad, we teach our children how to Live. Parenting is not an obligatory act. Everyone has to do it when their turn comes. Many parents in their old age, when their children do not take proper care of them, blame their off-springs, which is not totally correct. The fault also lies in their quality of Parenting. There is so much selfishness, greed, intolerance, impatience and other countless vanities in our society these days. Main reason for our society's present turmoil is faulty Parenting by which we have created a society or people without ethics, civic sense, values, consideration for others and other virtues on which a progressive society is based.
   Childhood isare  like the foundation of a highrise building or roots of banyan tree. These have to be strong so that a strong society can be built. Life is a marathon, not a sprint. Life has to be lived on long term not short. Hence instil good habits, ethical values, selflessness, generosity, kindness, consideration for others during childhood so that people have strong foundation of values which are totally missing in our society these days which is the root cause of individual and collective unrest and turmoil.

3. POSITIVITY: Nature has given us total negativity as birthday gift. Positivity has to be instilled, best done in childhood. But you are an adult. How best to cope up with inherent negativity at this stage? Be Positive, but how? What do you mean by Positivity?
   Well, adopt an Attitude of Gratitude, to start with. Gratitude towards God, your parents, your family, teachers, society and country. Say 'Thank You' and make it your favourite word. Negativity in mostly insignificant small things like not appreciating anything good, always harping on bad or expecting bad to happen, blaming and criticizing as if there are rewards for that, habit of complaining and grumbling, losing temper, uncooperative attitude towards colleagues, being selfish and greedy, back-biting and umpteen such vanities which make us unpopular and unpleasant to be with. Maintain your dignity and grace. Be helpful and kind, say less,listen more. Do not compare with others and of course, have least expectations. You are decidedly towards an incredible goal called Positivity. You will find Positive people being liked and revered while negative, shunned.

4. PATIENCE: Patience is controlled behaviour, to remain calm and cool in difficult & unpleasant situations. World is full of provocations which leave us with two options, react or respond. When we react angrily, we expose ourselves, lose energy which could be better used to meet the challenge coolly with all the faculties at our command. However, when we respond positively, goodwill and well-being is generated, helping us to meet the same situation with poise. Patience may be bitter at times, but it's fruit is always sweet. Best life-long gift you can give to your children is 'being Patient with others'.  Patience is an acquired virtue and home is the place where this virtue is leaned for lifelong effect.


5.  PERSEVERANCE: Perseverance in Effort and Patience in wait will win the race. Perseverance is to keep trying. Try, try and try again and again, till you succeed. Never accept defeat and if you don't accept defeat, you are never defeated. Action only is in our hands, not the awards. So best is to detach your thoughts from results and concentrate 100% on action. Then only best action can be performed which produces best result. We became independent because one man was persistent in his effort for his goal, freedom for his country, India. Person was Mahatma Gandhi. But for his persistence, not only us but the whole world might have been slave of various empires. Nelsen Mendela. But for his non-violent war against apartheid, there would have been no freedom majority of its citizens in South Africa. 'Never give in, never, never, never,' as Winston Churchill used to say.   

Source: Unknown

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