The Free Press Journal

Guiding Light

You are born original

- — T. G. L. Iyer

RALPH WALDO Emerson once said: “My life is for itself and not for a spectator; what I must do is all that concerns me; not what other people think. What I think of myself is the crux of my existence. My thoughts are the flesh and blood of my performanc­e.”

“Know thyself,’ Socrates, the Greek teacher and philosophe­r had said, many centuries ago.

Self-reliance is the important thing that eternally guides our lives. That is the core and virtue of progress. We should be resolute and independen­t; resourcefu­l and courageous, live an honest life without a presence of apology. Nelson Mandela said: “Trust thyself. Let a man know his own worth; nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles. You are born an original. Don’t die a copy.”

There is a time in every man’s education, when he arrives at the conviction that he must take himself for better or worse. Though the universe is full of good, no nourishing thing can come to him except through toil and labour. The power inside him is trying hard to break out, wanting for an opportunit­y to manifest.

We can at best pay our debt to this universe that has made us what we are, by being just, impartial and helpful as a matter of principle of everyday living.

Harry E. Fosdick wrote, “A person completely wrapped up in himself makes a small package. One of the oldest and most enduring rules of human bondage is to do unto others, as you would have others do unto you. The only way to survive in this world is to keep and preserve these principles and move forward all the time. Even if you think it is impossible, go for it anyway.”

“No guts, no glory,” said Bette Davis the celebrated Hollywood actress ‘I can’t do it’ won’t get us anywhere. Instead, we should say, I will give it a trial and see what happens.”

Kurt Hahn said, “Your disability is your opportunit­y. Think big, behave big, act big and the results will be big.”

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