The ultimate solution to all problems lies within us. Way back in 1980, my first job was more for kicks than clean. I would come back to my lonely rented room each late evening with a headache and tiredness. The feeling of disappointment, worry, bitterness showered over me. I cursed myself. I looked as if I was two steps away from being a washerman. The dreams I used to see in my school days were turning into a nightmare. Is this the life I’m going to lead? The lonely feeling, bitter job surroundings, threads of arrogance from the nagging boss, the offensive and abusive nature of office staff made me sick of the whole situation.
Like any other first job seeker, I was pressured into the work atmosphere I loved to hate, didn’t eat fresh food each day, lived in a room full of mosquitoes. Is this the job work I wanted! I could not see even a glimpse of light for progress anywhere in my near future. I was craving for leisure time, to be alone with gentle surroundings and good living. My thoughts did not call for making a lot of money though. I realized that I would lose nothing by getting rid of this job. But,what next?
Then, I remembered the famous saying, ‘Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, magic and power in it. Begin it now. The truth of the matter is that you always know the right thing to do. The hard part is doing it.’
I decided to do the most of all that I learned in my past, school and college days.
In other words, the decision I took, which is faced by most young people, completely altered my future. It has made my last thirty years happy, constructive and progressive.
I left my job.
I had spent five years of college, studying engineering machine drawing, mathematics and science. I decided to teach these subjects in private coaching classes. I started reading books, prepared my lectures and cultivated my favorite hobby of writing stories for magazines. Writing was my passion and I can live with it all through my life.
I was fortunate to have been trained in public speaking school which became an immensely valuable gift in my future life and career. It wiped out my loneliness and showered me with courage and confidence. I took profound interest in teaching and the learning process of each student, understood human psychology, planned my future teaching techniques with passion. My leadership qualities came to the fore and I thoroughly enjoyed the process of discarding the layers of ignorance in me.
I joined a health club in the vicinity and it added value to my life. My trainer gave one inspiring lesson to say, ‘Don’t be in a hurry, take one small step at a time and grow, otherwise you are bound to break your growth structure. ‘ I agreed.
Till today, I follow his philosophy in my day to day life, ‘One step at a time towards progress.’
I started getting the sense of fulfillment. My life was filled with infinite bliss with a lot of enthusiasm and love for life. With every morning sun rays, it was another wonderful new day with new life for me. My wisdom was to live only one day at a time. I enjoyed sharing part of my earnings with poor students. I learned to forget yesterdays and not to bother about tomorrow.
I started living for today.
How strange is our little journey of our life. As a child we want to grow to be in college. In college, we try to excel to be known as the best in our Institute, Further-on, we crave to join our professional career and try to earn and shine. Yet not satisfied, we search for love and get married, increase our family, accept being farther towards our journey of reitiring from all work, We sit and look back to find as to what we’ve done in the entire life. In this struggle of search, seek, swallow and suck, we forget the essence of life. Life, in fact, as we learn too late, is in the living, every day and every minute.
I want to share an interesting life story of my friend, who was brought up in poverty. While other children of his age were playing in the garden, he was earning by selling newspapers. After two years, he worked in a grocery shop. He got married at a young age while supporting ten people in his family for food. He was afraid to change his profession. He worked there for ten years before he could get courage to start business on his own. Having sufficient knowledge of his trade, he started with a five thousand rupees investment and went on to earn eighty thousand in first year. Unfortunately, during riots in his town, he lost every paisa he earned, became ill with frustration and worry and fell unconscious while walking down the road.
Eventually, the doctor told him that he has no chance of survival and would die in thirty days.
He realized that there is no use to struggle any more as death is too close. He gave up hope, relaxed and went to sleep. A few weeks of proper rest brought energy and vigour in his life. His exhaustion and sickness disappeared and a few weeks later, he sprang up with additional enthusiasm to work. ‘When all the doors are closed, God opens windows.’
He accepted the facts, no more worry for today nor for tomorrow and no regrets for what happened in the past. He joined his work and devoted all his energy for success.
‘This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ he confirmed.
He is now the President of Rotary Club and gives lectures on ‘How to Lead a Happy and Healthy Life.’
The theme of his story is, he would never have had the thrill of achieving this success in his entire life and would have been leading the same toiling, worried life forever if not for the riots that ruined his business. He certainly learned his lesson and the facts of life the hard way.
If ever you want to keep your worry out of your life, follow the rule.
The past has already passed, the future is yet to come. Stay and live for present and rejoice. The magic and beauty of life is living for today, now.
