Keeping the greatness alive
THE great philosopher and theologian Howard Thurman once said: “Keep alive the dream; for as long as a man has a dream in his heart, he cannot lose the significance of living.”
That quote stands out more than ever now as the fear of coronavirus is gripping the world trying to kill those dreams.
Millions around the globe are quarantined in their homes, millions more out of work with an uncertain future and seemingly overwhelmed by fear and frustration. It is in times like these we must remember the significance of our living - the manifestations of our dreams and the determination of our destiny.
We must remember that every one of us has greatness within us. The great President Roosevelt eloquently said: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”.
Our PM has said that we are at war with an unseen enemy but he has also given us the way to take care of ourselves. We cannot allow ourselves to give in to the fear. Some people talk as if the sky is falling and the world has come to an end.
While we have been asked to be sheltered inside our homes, we should never quarantine our minds or imprison our imaginations.
We must have the faith, patience, perseverance and unstoppable spirit to see ourselves through these challenging times. It’s the time to reflect, reset and revitalise those hopes and dreams that may have been lying dormant for years.
In every darkness, in every challenge exists the light and lessons to ignite the human soul. We need to open our eyes to the awareness and seek out opportunities that are present. There are dozens of large companies, like Amazon, hiring thousands of workers as we speak. People are starting new businesses from their home with the help of the internet which gives them access to customers. Let us not let external circumstances dictate our internal success.
As I am about to pass my 75th birthday on April 2, some might think of me as an old timer but time never gets old. The time is now to master our mindset, sharpen our skillset and redefine our relationships. We need to surround ourselves (two metres apart to not violate the “social distancing” guideline) with people who have a positive mental attitude, who are taking action and implementing new ways of doing business and helping those in need.
I know I have a long way to go with my message and I will not stop, neither should you. We need to use this time to rekindle our minds, rediscover those dreams and desires as we weather this storm together. We have something special in us - we have greatness within us. It is time to awaken it!
ARVIND MANI Nadi