Strength of character!

There was a time when I was proud of my possessions, and money in my hand. Then I realized there are things still beyond my reach, and they cannot be traded with my possessions or money… and if I am measured by money, then what I have is not even a speck in the wealth of world… again, what am I worth when I do not have any money or possessions?

There was a time when I was proud of my knowledge, and the knowledge I shared. Then I realized that knowledge that I possess are not created by me but rather given to me by this world, people who walked ahead of me. If I am measured by knowledge, then I am not even a drop in the ocean of knowledge… again, what I am worth when others too have gained my knowledge?

I understand that character is what defines me, or for that matter any one. Contours of character is marked by values. It is hard to hold on, when values are challenged. They will get challenges, for sure, during hard times. If values are compromised, then character was only a perception

Love, empathy, honest, … may help you or backfire on you? But can you afford to compromise? Character and values, I believe, are not a matter of convenience but rather reason for the very existence of the individual and defines the individual

Love, the essence of life!

There is a poem in Malayalam which states ‘Snehamaanu akhila saaram oozhiyil’. It translates to mean ‘love is the ultimate essence of (life in the) world’ . All along my childhood, it has been so ingrained into my mind that love is the essence of life; so much so that it is almost my nature.

There are times in life where this fundamental is questioned, and that is shattering. It amounts to giving up everything that is built up over years of hard work. Position, power, money, … why even self respect, at times. Is it worth that compromise? I believe, yes …. or, well, that is me.

Love is not for sake of something. Love is not because you expect something in return. No matter what you love, be it a person, a thing, a subject of interest, it gives pain, in return. This does raise a fundamental question in me, whether I was taught the fundamentals of life wrong, or did I get it wrong?

Then, I realize that problem is with the expectation. Love is not something you do on a purpose. It is something that happens, with parents, kids, siblings, friends, etc. I believe, it is a natural human experience.

I have not seen any one who does not have experienced a trace of it; and wonder, what value is such life of. Probably, the purest form of love is between mother and child. Is that because of something given in return? It exists by its own virtue. No matter whether it hurts or not. What is life worth without it?

Pain is a natural consequence as we do not control the world. Other person, or given situation, is not fully in your control; and well, it does not need to be, because happiness is not a precondition for love. You get something in return or not, whether pains or heals, whether you win or loose, love exists … and it must exist for the society, and the world at large, to exist