Though
this question inspires as many answers as people asked, everyone ultimately
wishes to achieve the same thing.
Recently, I met one of my old students and got talking.
We met after some years and while catching up, the student told, he had started
focusing more and more on himself as he grew older. Earlier, he used to think
that is a selfish thing to do, but now he knew that is only by focusing on own
self that he could focus on the important things of life – his family, his
work, and all the things he held dear.
So true, he had hit upon an important eternal truth. So
often we make the mistake of giving importance to everything else in life at
the cost of our own selves. We go off on a tangent chasing a passion or a need,
forgetting that life calls for balance. We think there is plenty of time for
that later, but that time never comes for those who put it off. It is a matter
of attitude and of prioritizing.
The truth is that everything we seek and chase is a means
to the same end – happiness and a fulfilled life, a need to pacify all turmoil
and not to be a victim of dissatisfaction and angst. Ultimately, the only thing
we all seek is – a deep satisfaction of the inner self and the knowledge that
we have a fulfilled, balanced life, having made the most of this beautiful gift
of life given to us.
And how we can achieve that satisfaction ? To answer that
question, my student brought up an interesting perspective, “Why are we alive ?
The difference between life and death is that we have a body, and hence,
relationships and worldly needs. This cannot be ignored. So to my mind, leading a balanced life between our worldly
limitations and spiritual aspirations is the most important thing. Just as we
are born miniature versions and then grow and develop, that should be the aim
of our lives too – to grow and learn.”
There will always be a conflict between the worldly and
the spiritual while we are alive. So the only way of understanding the purpose
for which we have been given life is to do a deep delve into life itself and
understand its meaning. And that cannot happen either through overindulgence,
nor through communication. We have to embrace life in its entirety, to live
life fully in all its aspects, but with responsibility and ensuring a good
balance, always.
So, be it in our personal professional lives, we should
aim to live a fulfilling, enriched existence. Connecting with others is as
important as connecting with one’s own self, because we learn about life
through our relationships with others. At regular intervals, it is important to
keep reinventing oneself, giving up things and even people who are holding us back from growing and achieving
the purpose of life.
So the most important thing in life is actually to
experience the entire gamut of worldly experience. It is important to
experience life in its entirety and also be part of the flow of life – to keep
growing and evolving as life goes on, not holding back ourselves or those
around us from this constant flow. Part of that experience is to accept what is
given to us happily while still trying our best to make it – and ourselves-
better.
Happiness, compassion, love and peace are all part of
life and must be shared and not hoarded, for that will interfere with the flow
of life. To be happy, we have to know that we are part of the life force. A
life devoid of balance would throw us off on a tangent, and we would go
swinging away from the wheel of life. In order to help others achieve happiness
and fulfillment, we have to learn how to achieve it ourselves first. Do
whatever gives you happiness and satisfaction, but do it with a sense of
responsibility – that is the crux of a happy life !
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