July 23, 2020
The meaning of the word “peace” in the Cambridge dictionary is “freedom from war and violence, especially when people live and work together happily without disagreements.” Generally peace is attributed to the resolution of conflict and hence we come across “peace talks” in any standoffs between two conflicting states or parties.
But in today’s dynamic world we live in, peace is also attributed to one’s own calmness towards all that is happening around us in this era of internet and social media, where intolerance increases every passing day! We are constantly getting tangled up in our thoughts, our own fears, our insecurities, our own desires to gain the world! In the last quarter century, communication technology developed at an astonishing speed and today in a click of a button we can learn about any good or bad event happening in any part of the world. Similarly we can do all our daily activities from home, like watching favorite movies and sports, buying groceries, ordering dresses, debiting and crediting bank accounts, paying all the utilities bills etc. We are living in fast-forward world doing all these activities in minutes as opposed
to hours and days taken by our parents and grandparents before us; and we often expect same click of a button phenomenon, something to amuse us, in every aspect of our lives!
Just like instant coffee and instant cash (ATMs), we want to live an instant life, to make everything instantaneous! We want to have everything instantly! We go in search of instant love, instant fame, instant wealth, and instant gratification!
Unfortunately, we don’t get everything instantly! Each and every one of us has been given different capabilities just as computers and cars are manufactured with different specifications, with different processors and computational power for different purposes! For some of us, our inbuilt capabilities lead us to own a Mercedes or a Ferrari or to travel first class or to lodge at a five-star hotel! If that is our fate, let’s go for it and let’s be happy in those circumstances! Because even Mercedes or a first class air ticket has to be sold, this in turn provides jobs for many! For others, owning a normal car or travelling economy might be enough. Both capabilities and circumstances complement each other and bring diversity to the great creation glory.
Every one of us is unique and if we perform to our capabilities we all will be having what each one of us require in this world! We are born into this world to be happy in all circumstances and to have all that requires as per our inbuilt skills!
But when we desire to have more than our inbuilt capabilities, we lose our focus! When we try to imitate our friends or neighbor or a relative who owns many cars or real estate or a luxury home, we fall into a tunnel and never seem to come out from the darkness of that tunnel!
If we live with gratitude (that is, when we give thanks to what we have in life) however little that may be along with glorifying the creator for others talents, then our inbuilt capabilities or talent enables us to understand our requirements for a peaceful life! Then when we put in our hundred-percent effort we will have what we require to live a content life!
But if we chose to grumble about how little we have and desire what others have, then we become clueless about what we need to live a happy life and we lose the virtue of gratitude. We develop anxiety and start worrying about our future and hate our past! And from this worry for the future and hatred for the past, we develop anger within, which will spring to others in our family, neighborhood and the larger community around us, creating a chain of intolerances!
There is plenty on this planet for everyone to have enough to live a happy and joyous life. Those who have earned more by their inbuilt capabilities, let’s share and show the way to others! Those who feel they have less, let’s understand what is our requirements for a happy life and put in our hundred percent to live a peaceful life!
When we have peace within us through living a content and joyous life and by obligating everything as per our inbuilt capabilities, we understand each other in our family, then our neighborhood becomes vibrant, and our community thrives with love.
Our world will be peaceful as we calmly listen to everyone and work together happily for peace and prosperity of all!