While we are neither absolutely free nor
sufficiently capable of creating the circumstance, we land ourselves into; we
do have considerable control over our affairs. In fact, we know this also, but
we lack enough courage to accept it in real earnest, because we take our
failures and successes a lot more seriously than they ought to be taken.
That
is one big reason why we fail to strike a right balance between our abilities
and our destiny. We cannot change all our circumstances, but we can moderate
many of them by moving on the right path and rectifying the mistakes of the
past. Mahatma Gandhi said that the man must do what he is capable of doing; not
more than his ability, and, not less than his capacity. If one, by any chance,
succeeds in doing more than his ability, he becomes arrogant and habituated of
overestimating himself; he thereby becomes prone to making big mistakes. The
one, who does less than he is capable of doing, acts like a thief, who tries to
use and own what he is not entitled to.
Further,
whatever we do affects us as well as our surroundings. We are not the only ones
who are entitled to the outcome of our actions. This is the way the nature, of
which we are participants, functions. When we think that our failures and
successes affect us and us only, we suffer not that much because of the outcome
of our actions, but due the misconception we have about our being the only recipients
of the fruits of our actions.
In
short all our actions must be on behalf of all that includes and surrounds us, and,
they must, by and large, serve the interests of all that includes and surrounds
us. We must do exactly what we are capable of doing; neither more, nor less. We
must keep on reviewing whether we are on the right path, and must be committed
to rectifying any errors that we may make.
If
we try to achieve this balance in life, we will become relatively free of all
kinds of worries about the imaginary adverse outcome of our actions and favorable
or adverse circumstances. We will also become free of dominating but false ego
that we can do more than what the nature has made us capable of doing. Such
balance in life will settle our mind in peace and help our intellect become
more creative. The benefit thereof will definitely accrue to us, both
individually and collectively.
No
doubt, in modern times, this may appear to be much idealistic and practically
very difficult. But, even small but sincere efforts with little more tenacity
will help us realize that we do have the ability to enrich our lives.
PROMOD KUMAR SHARMA
[The writer of this blog is also the author of “Mahatma A
Scientist of the Intuitively Obvious” and “In Search of Our Wonderful Words”.]
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