Time is the best Healer

Dear Friends,

Am very happy to connect with all of you at the dawn of the New Year.   

Surely, most of us have had ups and downs this year. Life is indeed very simple, but we complicate it so much that it becomes a roller coaster ride!

Life’s experiences, especially if they are bitter, teach us good lessons so that we become more refined.

We just need to remember one thing – everything which happens to us, happens for a reason. It is certainly not possible for us to fully comprehend why we lost a job, why someone close to us left us, why someone back-stabbed us, why someone left us in the lurch when we needed them the most or why someone betrayed our trust and friendship.

Just like how we must remove toxins from our body in order to remain in good health, we must also understand that it is indeed good if some people move away from our lives – be it love, friendship or any other relationship. It is easier said than done. The pain, emotional wounds and the humiliations can put you in so much misery, but at one point of time, we need to let go. Learn to forgive and forget, not because the other person deserves it, but because you deserve some peace of mind!

Nothing is permanent in this world. The only thing that is constant is change. If we realise that every situation and circumstance will fade away, we will have more strength to face the world.

I come across atleast one person in a week who would say, “I wish I can throw away everything, and go to some place alone. Am tired of all these responsibilities”.  This is because we have too many expectations, or sometimes we are too ambitious. If we develop the mind-set to not compare ourselves with others, and live within our means, it will be easier to handle any unexpected situations in life.

Some of us may have lost our loved ones. I too lost a friend to cancer a few weeks ago. Time is the best healer, and what we can do is give time it’s space to work. Believe that season’s change, and flowers will bloom again. Above all, believe in the law of karma – no one can escape from it. All of us have to reap the seeds we sow. So, if someone has hurt you, try to forget, forgive and let go. Feelings of guilt, regret and revenge will only cause you more pain and sorrow. Surrender to God/ your Guru and leave everything at HIS feet. We are all HIS children and HE certainly has a plan for each of us. All we need is to connect to HIM constantly and wait for HIS miracles/ blessings.

I will close with a quote from His Holiness Sri Kanchi Mahaswami:

“In all that you do, let love be the sole motive. Any need must be with reference to another. Let action be out of love. Passions such as desire and hatred, anger and malice must be totally eschewed. If love becomes the grounding principle of all deeds. then most of the ills of the world will vanish”.

Wish you all a Bright, Prosperous, Blissful, Healthy, Energetic, Peaceful and a Very Happy New Year 2016. 

Cheers!

Spirit of Chennai - is it not an exaggeration?

Many of us in Chennai go about trying to be “busy” as usual. Have no choice as that’s how we are expected to behave! We humans are designed to be adaptive to the gravest of situations, and we generally get accustomed to circumstances.

But what is this Spirit of Chennai that everyone is still talking about?

While the great humanitarian effort by individuals and NGOs during the rains and floods have to be sincerely lauded, I think we have taken this talk about Spirit of Chennai a little too far. Maybe exaggerated beyond limits! This is not new as we always see Spirit of Mumbai or Spirit of Delhi during any disaster.

But if you go back to your moral science classes in school, each one of us were taught to help and be kind to each other always, not just during disasters! Being a Good Samaritan is part of our DNA – it has always been so.  But just that in the recent years, in the mechanical life that we are leading in the mad rush for money, many of us have forgotten such basic qualities. We never did react to any situation unless we ourselves were affected.

So, the recent rains and floods did just that – each person in Chennai were affected in some way or the other and so turned around to help everyone else who were in distress. I would say that each of us got an opportunity to be true human beings!

Not just that, there has been behavioural changes amongst us as well.

• We managed with just black coffee for a few days
• Managed without power supply for several days
• Did not make a fuss over food
• Used water in rations
• For once, we were off from our hectic schedules and gadgets
• We had proper conversations with family and neighbours even in the midst of all the trauma and misery.
• More importantly, we shed our ego!
• In the midst of the tragedy, our loved ones came to mind. We took up the phone (though connectivity was poor), and tried to reach out to those we have not been in touch for a long time. At that moment, love proved more powerful than ego! And, we heaved a sigh of relief when we knew they were safe. In a minute, all the hatred, misunderstanding, revenge and grief just vanished into thin air! All of a sudden, we became more forgiving and understanding.

Can we not be like this all the time?

In our daily life, we fuss over so many little things, but were we not more tolerant those 4-5 days?

So, it is all just the making of the mind! That one week was probably just God’s way of telling us that there are more important things in life than just running around for money!

Let us atleast now try to lead a simple life and be of use to atleast a handful of people around us in some way or the other. We have to pledge to do some dharmic activity everyday, and bring a smile on the face of atleast one person. We never know when our last day on earth will be. So, face each day with a smile, and thank God for giving you yet another day to live, and love.

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Cheers!