After the darkness of each night, the golden rays of morning fill our life with lots of hope, enthusiasm, energy, freshness etc. Isn’t it? If you see the sky at dawn and dusk time; if you see the birds flying in herds in the sky with lots of conversation among themselves; if you see the new leaf, new flower in small plants in your terrace garden; if you could see the whole life coming out for the day long activity and struggle whether in the fields, factories, offices or homes, you would definitely observe and also feel the beauty of life all around you. It is very simple to experience and enjoy this. Just come out of your own "self" some time every day to live like an ordinary human being and feel the fulfilling difference.
It is equally very true that life is full of ups and downs; pain and pleasure; suffering and success, but if we open our hearts; say an emphatic no to negative thoughts and embrace the changes of life, believe me, even in most challenging and difficult situations, we can feel that life is full of suspense, surprises and splendid things. And after all who has all the goods and no odds in life. So, complaining and grumbling all the time have little meaning. Swami Vivekananda says this in his own simple way, “Always grumbling you will lead a miserable life and everything will be a failure. But that man, who does his duty as he goes, putting his shoulder to the wheel, will see the light… … When you are doing any work, do not think of anything beyond. Do it as worship, as the highest worship... …"
According to renowned psychotherapist and author Amy Morin, “There will always be obstacles and challenges that stand in your way. Building mental strength will help you develop resilience to those potential hazards so you can continue on your journey to success.” It is also worth noting that happiness is not a happening; it is a state of mind. You can have everything in the world and still be miserable or you can have relatively little and feel unbounded joy. Just look around and you will appreciate the truth of these words. It is also all knowing that life is very precious and hope is the main driver. Everyone passes through different phases of life from childhood to senior citizenship, but no matter how young or old you are, you can still be creative and influential, provided you have faith in yourself and a conviction to do what you think is right.
Alright, let us look at the life of Bharat Ratna Nelson Mandela – the first black President of South Africa and the Nobel Peace Prize Winner. Born in a village on 18th July 1918, Mandela actually rose from rural obscurity to challenge the might of white minority apartheid government of South Africa. He was the first in his family to attend the school. After his school education, he took admission at Fort Hare University, but left in 1940 without completing his studies to associate himself with the youth league of ANC (African National Congress). His struggle against apartheid was untiring and completely focused. He organized mass boycotts, particularly against the laws supporting racial discrimination and oppression. The historic statement of Mandela during the course of his 1964 sabotage trial revealed his firm resolve towards his mission. He said, “I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. He was released in February,1990 after 27 years of detention for opposing the then white-minority apartheid regime of South Africa. After a series of talks and negotiations between the ANC and the government, South Africa's first all-race elections were held in April,1994. Nelson Mandela was chosen as the first black President of South Africa. It was truly the defining moment of the 20th century. However, his task as President was immense and extremely difficult, nothing less than preventing a civil war. To say, Mandela’s long walk from an apartheid prisoner to South African President to a loving leader of all South Africans, black and white alike, who tried successfully to remake the country based on equity and justice through democratic process has been extremely challenging and inspiring.
The famous Hindi Poet Ramdhari Singh Dinkar expressed this sentiment beautifully in these lines: “When you try fearlessly with a firm resolve, even the mountains give the way; when you continue to make best of efforts, success comes running.” Then why not challenge the challenges with conviction, patience and persistence to enjoy the fruits of success?
As always, I'm keen to know what you think on this subject. Hence, I request you to post your comments to share your valuable opinion. (hellomilansinha@gmail.com)
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