Missing a bus could be a wonderful experience, provided you utilize this time to ponder over your life’s curve. These small pockets of time could come handy if one is given to introspection. Other day, I missed a bus and I decided to tred back home by shank’s mare.
On the way back, I saw a swan sitting in the middle of the road, by the lake side, calm and cozy with her beak buried deep in her feathers. Instantly my mind went to the good Lord in the blue canopy above and around us, to whom we all belong, who is watching over us all the time. One’s heart and soul find peace and comfort in His reassuring presence. There are the situations when you could feel that God is around, in cool breeze ruffling the feathers of the swan, moments like these bring you closer to Him. We have to believe in His presence, only then we can actualize such moments. In the words of Lawrence, ‘if in this life we would know the serene peace of Paradise, we must school ourselves in familiar, humble, and loving converse with God”.
Some would argue that belongingness is a basic need for all human beings. It is a basic need like eating and sleeping, which we all need to have before we can move on to higher order needs on Maslow’s hierarchy. Fulfillment of this would encourage the search for higher order attainments – self actualization can only come once this is formidably consolidated.
One way to find real peace of mind is to follow one’s dreams and work towards actualizing the cherished goals in life. Any time management technique which doesn’t put a person in touch with his inner self is a marketing gimmick. Question to ask is why have we cramped our lives and time with clutter of activities – from absolute nonsense to things that we actually don’t enjoy doing? Happiness, we are told lies in pursuing worthy goals and actualizing our true potential. However before we can have it, we have to confront our fears of saying ‘no’. Only then we can redirect the course of our lives- individually and collectively. It takes courage to say no to an old routine, which has become a familiar way of life. The hound of disapproval might come back to haunt us. However saying yes to our dreams brings a new stride in our feet, an attitude with which we can actualize every possibility. With such small decisions we could redirect the course of our lives.
So on next working day, miss a bus or take a walk back home. Think about the course of your life. What needs to be shed – like an old cloth? This will make room for more challenges and happiness. You might also see a spectacle of joy and presence, telling you that you were created to be happy, to enjoy the serenity of days in your life. An everlasting presence might dawn upon you, fulfilling you days with peace and joy.
Life Chronicles 