I wanted to show my strength and prove my calibre from the day society started judging me. I wanted to be a successful man to get a place in society. I thought that every successful man had been pursuing money. I had views that money makes the mare go. I had seen that wealthy people had respect and were welcomed everywhere in society without considering their attitudes and behaviour. So, the day I started my carrier in service, I made money my first and last resort to prove to society. I became famous as a money butcher. My house was big with all the possible modern facilities. My family was respected and invited to every function in society. Sincerely, I was busy ploughing the money’s field to multiply in the coffer. I had been a money printer by hook or crook.
I was not alone in that field of greediness. Before me, there were many souls. I was trained by many of them. Everything was well planned and well shared. I was enjoying myself a lot with all comforts missing my future. I could not say whether I was happy or not. I was depressed about money. The more the depression in me the more the urge for robbing the money was in me.
However, I think that the earth may never be deprived of even a single good human who may not change the thought process in favour of humanity. A single incident may change the behaviour and whole life of a human. The day it happens that day is the real beginning of life in a human. That enlightenment is the need in everyone’s life to make heaven on earth. Before that, any human would be having a life a little bit superior to animals.
My life was changed not by a Saint but by an incident of helplessness of a pious soul. Yes, I say him a pious soul because he has sacrificed his last shelter for the cause of others. He had sold his house to satiate my lust and quench the thirst of others in the system to give meaningful life to orphans. The day I got that information I died in me. I wept for my sin. I became a carcass for myself. I found myself nowhere in the universe but that man was twinkling in the sky as a beautiful, attractive star in my dreams. I lost my sleep for nights. The reality was that I remained a beggar with all comforts stored for the coming generation. My life was a curse. So, I decided to be a human and bring life to myself. I searched for that man and he became my path shower in this world. He became my real teacher who taught me the meaning of life. I learnt only one sentence- sacrifice to the sacred life of others without scaring of outcomes because God is there. God shows the path. Whoever treads, becomes a changer. He told me that I have changed because of God. I was owing to the incident that changed me.
I have changed to writing words and making sentences from words to be on the right path to meet a meaningful life for others. Confidence in me is now defining life. I have realised the joy of giving. I am enjoying positive thinking. I am relishing peace in me. Now, I accept you are somewhere my almighty.
Age is a number
It is the nature of humans to reiterate the common favourite lines to be said on a particular occasion. It has to be, as we wish someone on a birthday, new year and anniversary etc. Those lines are used with somewhat changes, having the same fervour.
I have always heard many beautiful lines on such dates, in my case, also but one line being told at the time of retirement from service, has attracted me the most. The line always being told during wishing for happy retirement life is that – age is a number. Though this notion instils positivity yet we forget that facts reflect their shadow. The fact is that with every day, a number of changes in the present life and body, along with mental health occur. Such changes have effects. Otherwise, the retirement age should have been different or something else.
It is true regarding age, but we should remember that every number has a face value and has increasing or decreasing value relations with preceding and succeeding numbers. Likewise, the number in age has only increasing value in the preceding year in terms of experience, expectations, aspirations and responsibilities etc. The time, for self, decreases and attention towards a name or position, in most cases, gets priority over the future to be realities.
This phase of service life is getting professional advice in the present situation when the longevity of both female and male have increased because of congenial developments. The retiring persons are being imparted knowledge on savings, investments, expenditures and careful handling of lucrative offers in the digital world. These are important, because of limited sources of income and changing social and personal relations.
The most important requirement for the earlier active person after retirement is the engagement for the routine period earmarked for official engagement in service. There becomes a sudden vacuum.
They are considered exhausted.
Many suggestions for their engagement may be given but dignity, flexibility in duty hours and respect etc. should be taken care of. Most of the time, they are emotionally blackmailed and become prey to cheating people in the name of engagements. We forget that they are treasures of experience and are ready to share them. They may easily be ready to return to the society to which they feel indebted. A fully respectful system, for engaging them, is needed at the time.
They need care with the passage of time also. They should not be left unattended to feel neglected. Their healths deteriorate faster because of this. They become more dependent as the number in age increases. They become helpless and take shelter in old age homes, because of family problems or otherwise.
There is no controversy in considering that age is a number but this appears to be true in the case of such professions where separations are to be decided by self. In every profession, whatever engagement, separation has to happen and age has to reflect its effects.
Age is a number for counting. It has demands also. But positivity is there. Everyone should have it, as age has many things in store to return.
We should not forget that God is there and love is life. We should not forget that we are successors also, so we have ideas about age.
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2023 TO ALL MY FRIENDS
S E L F – Respect
It is said that mother, motherland and mother tongue should always be respected without sarcastic remarks. Mother’s place is greater than heaven. Likewise, motherland and mother tongue have a place in everyone’s heart. Even distance is not the barrier and the heart always throbs for them. While the mother is an individual’s concern, motherland and mother tongue are binding factors among all. In present days of need-based migration, these are the identities of a person. Everyone should respect these three gems of life for self and others because without self-respect no one may discover self. The moment we forget them our slavery starts. Others start ruling over and controlling as per their needs. All freedom movements, the world over, are for restoring self-respect. Our nationality may change but not our identity.
Self-respect is armour and should be in every place, whether at home or working places. If any relative at home or boss at working places disrespects beyond limit then a reaction is expected from everyone. No compromise is appreciable because self-respect is extremely self.
In this materialistic world, bosses are always ready to fire their employees who have devoted their lives to them. Students are disrespecting their teachers for small causes. Juniors are ready to assess the utilities of seniors who have trained them. All these happenings are the indicators of deterioration, biases and self-interest in the working atmosphere. It is better to fight for self-respect at such places or may leave these places in self-respect and see another pasture after giving a befitting reply.
In this world, we are boasting of a developed civilization but women are the most suffering class concerning self-respect. They are taken for granted as easy prey because in the name of modesty they are advised to keep silent for themselves and family. They are lesser paid at working places as compared to males for the same work. They are considered as weak and meant for certain works only, specifically for household workers in these so-called developed societies. But it is a matter of solace that education and self-reliance have motivated them and they are taking a stand against malpractices. Their “Me too” movements are exposing the reality of many famous personalities in the societies. This is a new beacon of hope. They have to go miles before self-respect is ensured everywhere. They deserve respect as a mother, sisters, wives and daughters, in all other assigned roles.
We have many complexes in mind for nothing. We deliver sermons with good words advocating equality for all before almighty but it is not true in practice. Our behaviours distinguish. We have grudges for the complexion of black and white, for the superiority of races, etc. We follow a double standard for our selfishness to dominate. Even children are not spared and they are facing abuse at home and in schools etc. We treat them as the hope of God but reality matters the most. It is not praised worthy.
One day situation may change with consciousness and spirit of self-respect. If we go through the two epics of the Sanatan religion – the Ramayan and the Mahabharat we may find that in every Era self-respect mattered. Wars were fought and kingdoms were devastated. Moreover, it is found that in “kali yuga” ( as per the Sanatan religion it is the fourth stage of the world. It is the age of misery, quarrel, moral decay and hypocrisy ) for saving self-respect, ladies practised Jauhar- a practice of mass self-immolation for honouring modesty and chastity from invaders.
Disrespect of one’s self-respect is an unpardonable crime and needs stern dealing. Before that, one who does not fight for self-respect is like a stone. We should not forget that VIPs are made by us but everyone takes birth with self-respect given by the almighty. We should bend our heads before God and not before so-called perishable VIPs. No one may be a destiny decider. We are not here to satiate the ego of someone.
Self-respect is an individual’s concern but the attitudes of society need complete modification. We should understand the meaning of hidden thoughts in rituals where persons of every profession are involved and deserve respect. Even grass and thorns are used respectfully in puja ( worship) in the Sanatan religion. This is the message of our rituals that nature has also self-respect and nothing is useless. We should not forget that nature may snatch self-respect through many means.
Position
I will see you. You don’t know, who am I? You will bear the consequences. These are lines, generally heard during discussions between any authority and someone on roads or in different offices. This reflects the approach of a man and the importance of a post. Such discussions reveal that someone is applying pressure to do the wrong or to get rid off punishment and penalties etc.
Here the question is about the importance of a man or the post held by the man. It is true that every post has been empowered with rules and regulations, for good governance and importance of post is also as per hierarchy. But lines of threatening are hurdle and instigate corruption and mitigate the importance of rules, regulations and posts. The position held is not permanent and one day, on retirement, all become same in the society. So, the importance exists in post, not in the post holder. As a common man, ones importance is in abiding the rules and regulations. So, our behaviors are most important for respect and the tags of VIP and VVIP are not permanent. Good times do not last too long.
I remember one incident’s happening, during my journey by train. One of my friends was with me, without proper reservation. He was having an importance of being son – in – law of an officer holding very high post in bureaucracy. Because of that he was feeling comfortable for facing the ticket checker and police. I got a very good lesson to tackle such situations. I witnessed that during discussion, after listening the threat of post and probable actions against him, the police man said ” you may be whatever you say but, at first, I will beat you and ask for an excuse from your relative officer by saying that every one tells your name and try to get favour and it is true, he does know.” My friend paid the fine and got lesson that post is important but with dignity.
Human and humanity should get importance because posts in various departments in governing bodies, are created for giving services to public and rules and regulations are framed for their smooth execution, to ease the life with safety and security. So, everyone is to satisfy importance of each other but no one is above law.
It is ridiculous to think that he is more important. Everyone is important. If we observe, we find that in nature everything is important, from invisible creatures to big mammals, from thorns to flowers, and from grass to big trees etc. The ecology of nature is balanced because of all and any disturbance may bring havoc.
Human should learn from the best teacher, the nature, about giving place to everyone.
Our attitudes of giving importance are not limited to posts in service but also in every walk of life. Intelligent students get importance in classroom and schools, human get importance in society by comparing wealth, size of house and no of cars and number of servants etc.
There are different yard sticks for defining the importance, every where. Such attitudes are detrimental to the civilisations and empower to do the wrong things and corruptions spread as termites due to misuse of power. Only respect should get priority.
Everything is important. Everyone is important. When almighty has not differentiated, we may not do like this. Every creature is doing respective business and is equally important. We should not be power crazy. Services with serving attitudes should prevail.
santable 