Just give it a thought before you read any further. What do you think is the purpose of your life?
I had attended a yoga program a few months back and I had the chance and privilege to meet a Swamiji there.
I had posed him this very question- what is the purpose of our life? On hearing my question, the Swamiji had a long, childlike laugh. I was perplexed. I was wondering whether there was something so hilarious about my question. As I sat there pondering over, the Swamiji’s laughter came to a gradual halt. He took off his glasses, wiped his eyes- which seemingly appeared moist after a hearty laugh and answered to my question. The answer seemed very short yet very precise, very simple yet very powerful. His answer was this: ‘The purpose of life IS TO BE HAPPY’. This struck me with a strange feeling. Can the purpose of life be so simple? I probed him further. I asked if the purpose of life is to be happy, won’t this be considered selfish? If I just think about my happiness, what about my family, relatives and society? Don’t we have a purpose to serve them as well?
The Swamiji’s answer came as a cool wind on a hot summer afternoon. His words were- If you can manage to be happy, the rest will take care of itself.
His words need no explanation or elaboration. It’s very simple and straightforward. Perhaps the years of blissful state of calm mind and unwavering devotion towards god, the Swami has attained supreme philosophical and spiritual knowledge. It was calmness all around him and mind seemed absolutely unperturbed. I sat there wishing if also could, at some stage in my life, attain that tranquility and peace of mind which the Swamiji possessed.
But, the message was loud and clear and received gracefully. Throw away the trivial issues and look forward to lead a healthy and happy life. Don’t count you troubles, count your blessings!
Thank you, Swamiji. Your words have made a difference in my life! They have made me, without a hint of doubt - HAPPY!
-Sandeep Mahagaonkar
Friday, October 30, 2009
Life is a Sport, PLAY IT!!
In many ways, life can be compared to sports. Having predominantly played cricket most of my life, I sometimes draw many of its similarities to life.
In group sports, we normally walk into a field with a group of people – your team mates. It’s virtually impossible to emerge victorious without proper co-ordination and understanding. There has to be a good bonding, trust and mutual respect between the team members. If all these ingredients are in the correct proportions, you stand a good chance of winning; else needless to say, you’ll end up on a disappointing note. Ditto with life: you have a team and you need to manage this team. This team consists of your family and friends. The ingredients for a happy family are the same as mentioned above. Miss one and you’ll miss peace for sure.
The other striking similarity is discipline. To win a game, you need to be disciplined. Disciplined enough to practice regularly and to play the game in the right spirit (I don’t mean alcohol here). You are not allowed to play the game the way you like. You have certain responsibilities and you need to abide to them. So in life- you have a set of responsibilities. Few of them are enforced by nature (e.g.: maintaining health) and a few you need to discharge for your family’s well being.
Planning forms the basis of every sport. You need to plan the team composition, how to approach the game, your team’s strengths and weaknesses etc. Without proper planning, you are headed towards disaster. Similarly, you cannot have a secure future if you don’t plan your life right. Finance, career, house and many other things needs to be planned to avoid major shocks in the way!
Then comes ethics. Every individual needs to ensure that the moral principles are not looked over. It must be ensured that one doesn’t cross the line. It’s a question of reputation. In sport, as well as in life, we should strive hard for good reputation.
Last but not the least; we need a lot of patience. Games can be a test of character. To give your best, you need to be patient and wait for the right opportunities. You cannot whack every ball for a six. So in life, right opportunities do come your way. All you need to do is be patient, wait for the right opportunity and make the most of it.
It surely looks like life is a sport, a long fascinating sport with all the up’s and down’s of a classical game of cricket (imagine a last ball finish with one wicket in hand). All we need to ensure is that we don’t take life too seriously. Life should be spontaneous, playful and full of humor!! After all, IT’S JUST A GAME!! Play it!
-Sandeep Mahagaonkar
In group sports, we normally walk into a field with a group of people – your team mates. It’s virtually impossible to emerge victorious without proper co-ordination and understanding. There has to be a good bonding, trust and mutual respect between the team members. If all these ingredients are in the correct proportions, you stand a good chance of winning; else needless to say, you’ll end up on a disappointing note. Ditto with life: you have a team and you need to manage this team. This team consists of your family and friends. The ingredients for a happy family are the same as mentioned above. Miss one and you’ll miss peace for sure.
The other striking similarity is discipline. To win a game, you need to be disciplined. Disciplined enough to practice regularly and to play the game in the right spirit (I don’t mean alcohol here). You are not allowed to play the game the way you like. You have certain responsibilities and you need to abide to them. So in life- you have a set of responsibilities. Few of them are enforced by nature (e.g.: maintaining health) and a few you need to discharge for your family’s well being.
Planning forms the basis of every sport. You need to plan the team composition, how to approach the game, your team’s strengths and weaknesses etc. Without proper planning, you are headed towards disaster. Similarly, you cannot have a secure future if you don’t plan your life right. Finance, career, house and many other things needs to be planned to avoid major shocks in the way!
Then comes ethics. Every individual needs to ensure that the moral principles are not looked over. It must be ensured that one doesn’t cross the line. It’s a question of reputation. In sport, as well as in life, we should strive hard for good reputation.
Last but not the least; we need a lot of patience. Games can be a test of character. To give your best, you need to be patient and wait for the right opportunities. You cannot whack every ball for a six. So in life, right opportunities do come your way. All you need to do is be patient, wait for the right opportunity and make the most of it.
It surely looks like life is a sport, a long fascinating sport with all the up’s and down’s of a classical game of cricket (imagine a last ball finish with one wicket in hand). All we need to ensure is that we don’t take life too seriously. Life should be spontaneous, playful and full of humor!! After all, IT’S JUST A GAME!! Play it!
-Sandeep Mahagaonkar
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
