This too shall pass...

Let me start with a story that I had heard as a child from my mother. These stories have been picked up from one of those fantasy story books for kids written by an Indian author. There was this king. He had a very very smart and sharp minded minister working for him. Whenever the king would need a sound and impartial advise, he would call out for this particular minister coz his impeccable sense of timing and presence of mind was unmatched in the entire region. Once the king fell sick. He was in lot of pain and the medications he was taking was not doing anything dramatic for him to feel better. He was depressed and distraught. Because of the failing health and weak body he was unable to concentrate and take care of his people and his kingdom . Finally, he decided to announce a reward and prize money for the person who would be able to pull him out of his depression and make him feel good despite all his problems. People came up with innovative ideas. Some organized an evening of dance and music followed by drinks, some sent him his favorite flowers or gifts, some came and recited poetry for him as he appreciated the aesthetic culture and values a great deal. It was all nice, but it all turned out to be very transitory nonetheless. They did provide distraction for the king for a short time but his search for something more permanent and deeper was on. Finally he called out for his favorite minister and asked him to do something that lasts with him forever. The minister came along with a box and handed it over to the king. The king asked his men to open it. Inside the big box was another box, then another and another and another and finally the tiniest one. The king was getting a little exasperated thinking if his minister is trying to play a game with him. Anyways, he lasted until the final one, however with extreme irritation and impatience. He opened the box. What was inside it? Was it empty? Then on close perusal he realized that there’s a tiny leaf in it with something engraved on it. He took it out and read; it said, “This Too Shall Pass." He read it again and again and again and broke into a smile. Suddenly he felt alive again....

The entire volume of a literature cannot describe the non permanence of the universe so beautifully than this one short and simple sentence. I was a child when I had heard it. I may not have completely understood the deep meaning then but I could figure that it has some magical powers to make you feel better. After all, life is a series of incidents, some good some bad. It does not follow a pattern, and we hardly have powers in our hands to control or manipulate whatever has in store for us. But what we do have control over is how we think about a situation. We can empower our thoughts to live a life with zeal and positivism by remembering this one simple truth - “this too shall pass."

In my life, I have gone through several experiences some of which were excruciatingly painful. I lost the best man of my life, my dad, when I was still very young. As that was not enough, we were coming to terms with lot other problems we had never imagined. But at each and every juncture of life if we were able to survive through all of them, it was by remembering this one simple truth that "this too shall pass." What doesn’t pass is the person. My dad never passed, he is still there with me, with my entire family and now that his body does not have the physical form, he is much more powerful in his spirits.

I always wonder why do people give so much importance to the mundane and futile occurrences of life? Nothing stays forever. That’s the biggest and most powerful truth. Most people acknowledge this statement or think about it when the goings are not great. But to understand the meaning of our existence we should also remember this when everything seems to be looking good too. That would propel us to take the right action at the right time to make our life more meaningful and purposeful. What’s the point in starting to take care of our health when it starts to fall?

We cannot control much but remembering this powerful truth might help."This too shall pass."

Contempleting the Meaning .............

A young couple with a four-year-old girl brought home a new born baby boy. They soon learned though, that their little girl would have nothing to do with him while the parents were in the room. This was very disturbing because she wouldn't say why. They had no idea of her intentions, could she be jealous? But that wouldn't be clear unless they did as she desired. And she insisted it was the only way she would make contact with the baby.

This went on for several days and still the little girl refused to have anything to do with the infant while the parents were there. And she refused to say why. Knowing that they had to begin a relationship between their children the parents came up with a solution. They would listen in on the baby monitor while the little girl visited the baby. So they placed the baby in its crib next to the monitor and allowed the little girl to go into the room - alone. As she closed the door behind her they ran around and listened intently at the monitor.

They heard her across the room to the crib. The crib creaked slightly as the little girl leaned over the rail. Then silence. The parents held their breath in anticipation. Then, in the slightest whisper, the little girl said only one thing to the baby. "Tell me about God. I'm starting to forget."
Sean Penn told that story on Charlie Rose, and I am sure, most would echo my sentiment of how greatly moved they are to hear that story. Most people relate the term God to religion or spirituality. To me, the way I understand God; it is my inner realization and awakening to things. It's never about going to the temple or church or believing in Hinduism or Christianity or Islam. It's all about finding that inner peace and understanding the meaning of life.

In the grand scheme of things we were all created for some specific purposes and we also had our predetermined particular stations in life, but how do I find that? Who can tell me that this is what I was meant for and this is the course of action I should take as a pathway to the attainment of my goal? Every experience that we go through in life is so unique and unrelated to each other!! Sometimes we just feel there is nothing on this earth that we have control over and that our strings are being pulled over or manipulated through some vague source which falls beyond the sphere of understanding of a mortal being.

These questions often keep me busy and my mind well oiled. But after I heard that story, I figured that may be I found my answer. As long as we don’t forget the source of our creation and try to stay connected with it in any way possible, there is meaning in life. We are often looking for that one superior cause to make a difference in order to find the meaning, and in the process, trample upon all other opportunities considering them small or worthless. There is, however, meaning in each one of them. We are often trying to understand the entire world and society but never take a moment to connect with our own self and spend time with our inner core. We are trying to bring a change in to the world but never try to figure out that perhaps, our own outlook may also need a change………….

We may probably never find the meaning of our existence,but as long as we don’t forget where we came from and are able to connect with it and understand who we are, there is perhaps meaning in life……………………