Reach for the Stars
HAPPY people are transparent, like themselves and like others too. They are not suspicious of what others want or expect of them. For example, a husband and wife are one unit, a team steering life together. With good self-esteem, they can share their feelings openly without fear of rejection. They can tolerate imperfections and instead of a co-existence, they can exist for each other. I know of a person who lived with his wife for sixty years in joyful bliss. His wife was not educated, not good looking, did not have polish, but he said: “I overlook all deficiencies. She never asked me for anything, unless I gave her something as a gift. She loved our children and made a happy family. What more do you want in life?”
The advantage of cultivating humour is that you are balanced, whether good or bad things happen in life.
When good things happen, you say that it was God’s gift and when bad things happen, you say “Next Time.”
Dr. Radhakrishnan used to say, “When nothing seems to help, I go and watch the stone cutter hammering away at the rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet in the 101st blow the stone splits into two and I know that it was not that single blow that did it, but all that had gone before! “
Remember that you are not the same person you were ten years ago and you are not likely to be the same person, ten years hence, but if you are cheerful, you carry traces of the same personality all the time, throughout life!
Through self-statements one can elevate life. For example, say to yourself, “I am glad I am me. I have the mindset of a champion. I will not cry on trivia, but shall save my tears for bigger events. I will upgrade my skills through reading, asking, interaction, focus and consultation.”
Our worthy President Abdul Kalam said once: “It is not a disgrace not to be able to reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for.”
Ultimately, you never grow by how much you win; you grow only by how much you put in.
There are no Oscars or gold medals for leading a good life but one need not trade it for achieving a gold or silver!