LET US DRAW OUR INSPIRATION FROM ABOVE- THE BEAUTIFUL GOLDEN MAPLE LEAVES THAT MAY BE HERE AND GONE TOMORROW!
Living any life requires courage and at times, it requires lots of courage- so much so that the victims may find the burdens unbearable when it reaches the breaking point. I believe that is the crucial point when the victims decide that death is preferable to life. And no person should be driven to the `suicidal point’ because we are all interconnected in one tiny clod of mud called Earth. All human things in particular and living things in general have a right to live on this Earth harmoniously in peace and love.
I know that many 9f my readers are trying to live a good life but they may find that such an effort is like swimming against the current in a swift-flowing stream. If you find that your burdens are so heavy and you simply can’t live a minute longer, ponder again on the meaning of your life? Look for the seed of your life meaning that may be embedded in your suffering and adversity. Spiritual mentors and wise philosophers throughout the ages have found that it is in the brokenness of a grain of wheat or rice that will bring forth an abundant harvest. The same phenomenon also applies to your broken life. I have also found the meaning of my life when it reached the most broken point about four years ago. This blog is the fruit of that most broken point in my life. What a wonderful paradox! So much brokenness and messiness in a muddy pool! Yet when the seed of the lotus is planted in the stinking dirty mud, it can bring forth a beautiful lotus flower. But beneath the mud, the smell and the messiness of life lies God’s unconditional love that is the inspirational life force that brings about all the beautiful things in our broken world.
Just look at the most recent story of one of the most talented singers of our times, the late Michael Jackson. At the peak of his career, he was hounded by a series of scandals that drove him into seclusion and shame. I bet during that difficult period, he must have felt that he was most unfairly treated by society. I am convinced that all the toxic emotions had a significant role in bringing about the premature death of Michael Jackson. His popularity, wealth & celebrity status could not protect him from such an adversity and brokenness. All of us can learn a lesson from this sad story of how to become a more loving human being.
During this Christmas season, I hope that you, my dear wounded readers, would reflect and ponder on the immeasurable value of your special life. Life is a really short period of time – a rare gift given to us by God. Plutarch, the ancient wise philosopher, certainly put it well when he said, “The whole life of man is but a point of time; let us enjoy it, therefore, while it lasts, and not spend it to no purpose.”
Sometimes, when one is suffering and in the midst of severe pain (physically or emotionally), one may feel that life is unnecessarily prolonged and meaningless. If you are in such a situation, let me assure you that Katherine Mansfield, the wise writer, gave us a profound piece of advice- that suffering when blended with patience would eventually and mysteriously become love. Yes, if you feel you have been unfairly treated, bear your suffering with lots of patience so that eventually your painful experiences will become loving experiences. The irony is that we also have to put into our suffering a generous dose of love to act as a catalyst to realize a loving life. Life is a mysterious process. If we look upon our painful experiences with love and patience, they become more bearable because they evoke in us a sense of mystery and wonder of our lives. My favorite author, Marianne Williamson, puts it succinctly: ”The meaning of life is that we love one another. The purpose of our lives, it seems to me, is to learn how to do that, so we can create a world where everyone is in love with everyone all the time. That would be heaven on earth. I would so love my children to live in such a world.”
Let me reinforce this concept of love further by pondering on the wisdom of Laszlo Kardos, a director of a non-profit organization, “For ten years, I travelled all over Hungary visiting the homeless and the poor. I interviewed gypsies living in dire conditions and Hungarian workers… In all, I did some 2000 interviews. The more people I met, the more life stories I heard and the more persuaded I became that it is almost impossible to get to know another man completely. Every man is an island. Each person radiates feelings to others, but ultimately we are alone. For me, the essence of life is how we handle our loneliness. There are moments when we manage to resolve this loneliness through personal relationships, especially through love. But there are also certain situations in which you feel truly alone, when even words and affections cannot erase your fears.”
During this special Christmas season, let us learn to appreciate this special unconditional love of God that Jesus has brought into our life. Love is an indefinite thing to most of us. Sometimes we don’t even know for certain what we mean when we talk about love in human terms. So it is very hard for us to visualize this special divine love that has no limit and no conditions attached to it. What is needed is an awakened awareness with a significant reduction of insincerity, pride and vanity in our heart. In short, mix this awareness with lots of humility to welcome and accept this unconditional love of God in your life. Jesus comes this Christmas to show us that God loves you not because you are lovable, but because it is His nature to do so. Now Jesus recommends that you show the same unconditional love to others by giving us a new commandment, “love one another as i have loved you.” (John 15:12) Let love be your best response to your suffering and the unfairness that others have inflicted on you. And in the process of responding with love, you will ultimately becoming a loving human being. If you have lived a life of love, this will be the best meaning of your life.
Submitted by David YKK
