There was this wise old man who answers to all life-related questions. He was an enlightened person. A boy, in his adolescent years, wanted to test the wise old man. He caught hold of a little bird. Holding it in the palm of his hands, and with his hands hidden inside his coat, he asked the wise old man, “ I have a bird with me. Is it alive or dead?” The old man smiled and said, “If I tell you, the bird is alive, you will crush the bird and show me a dead one. If I tell you, the bird is dead, you will release the bird and show me it’s alive.
Embarrassed, the boy dropped his head and began to walk away. He would have hardly walked a few steps. He heard the voice of the old man, “ Mind you my son, in fact, this is the philosophy of life – your life and your death are in your own hands.”
In spite of the canvas, despite the paints and the brushes involved, the quality of a painting is the responsibility of a painter. Similarly, the quality of a sculpture is the responsibility of a sculptor. If so, then the quality of your life is your responsibility, and yours alone. Your life and your death are in your own hands. No blame is allowed.
If I ask you to carry a 12-Kg single granite stone and walk a kilometre, you would struggle with it. Now, I ask you to carry your child who is 12-Kgs for the same one kilometre and you will happily do it. Anything in life that is perceived as Kashtam Kashtam will only appear to be even more difficult. Do the same thing perceiving it as Ishtam Ishtam, the most complex of tasks can be done with effortless ease. Stop viewing responsibilities as a burden and start seeing them as opportunities. Stop saying Kashtam Kashtam to responsibilities and step forward to take responsibilities saying Ishtam Ishtam.
I will assume....don’t wait for others to offer your responsibilities. You take the initiative. You Volunteer. You step forward. Announce your presence.
I will assume unconditional...what is not unconditional never gets done. There is no point in keeping the ‘exit’ door open all the time. Burn the bridges. Conditions are required only to pass on the blame, in case there is a failure. Don’t even consider failure as an option. Where conditions succeed, responsibilities fail. Where responsibilities succeed, conditions are redundant. Just take it and do it.
I will assume unconditional responsibility. The Lord may have borne the corss of your sins, but even he will not bear the cross of your growth. The cross of your growth is your responsibility, and yours alone. You alone must carry it.
Only when you feel responsible for your life, you can respond with ability. Else, it will be responding with disability. Put your hands up and be counted.
It is the eternal law of life- the law of impermanence – anything that begins will end. If it had a beginning, then it will have an end.
Did the day begin? Yes! Then the day will end. Did the year begin? Yes! Then the year will end. Did your relationship begin? Yes! Then it will end – either by parting with each other when life is still on, or through the death of one. We all have come into this planet with confirmed return ticket. The date is the only unknown factor to us.
Success is failure delayed. Failure is success delayed. Good times will be followed by recession and recession will be followed by great times. Every beginning will end and every end will result in a new beginning.
This isn’t a pessimistic view of life. It is the other way around. Because we know there is death, let us make the most of life. Because we know the day will end, let us make the day count. Because we know the year will end, let us do something significant to do it memorable. Because we know our tough times too will end, let us endure it with strength and courage. Because we know the best of times too will end, let us be humble even in our success. Because we know every relationship will eventually end, let us give ourselves completely and unconditionally to our loved ones.
Above all, because we know even we will end, let us live such a life that we leave a legacy.
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