'Only when you free yourself of all these clutters do you really begin to live! Till then you only exist!'

Learners’ Corner | What Makes you Special?

Well, these ‘covid’ holidays are a real boon and a godsend for you to catch up on your personal space, ain’t they?

That precious personal space that you’ve been longing for, all along, has finally knocked at your door now! Seize the day! Carpe diem! Rightaway!

And don’t ever allow your holidays to be wasted on trifles and trinkets, please!

As such, you could also try as much as possible to be far away from your mobile phones, especially the worlds of Whatsapps, Instagrams and Facebooks!

On this count, I’m so proud to say that my closest friends are just ten in number. And what’s so special about them all, you may ask! ;-) Yes! all ten of them are achievers in their own right! Go-getters of the highest order, who enjoy and celebrate their own chella personal space! 

And what makes them stand out? you may ask? ;-) Well, they are too busy celebrating their own space, that they do not have time enough to indulge themselves on any of these social networks! And all ten of them today are remarkable achievers in their respective fields! 

And that’s what makes them special!

That’s what makes them stand out and stand tall in the crowd, ain’t it?

And that’s why I’m so proud of them all! I simply admire the way they all celebrate their personal space! 

Just imagine the likes of an Abdul Kalam, or a Swami Vivekananda or a Mother Teresa!

Bring them all before your mind’s eye for a minute or two! Bring their image right in front of you just for a minute, please, will ya?

Had they lived now, do you think they would have had the time on them to indulge themselves in such time-burning, time-passing social networks, watching sensational memes, trivial videos, responding to vain arguments and discussions, and whiling away precious time in gossipping, and nosing into other people’s lives?

Possibly NOT! Because they had a vision! They had a foresight! And they knew that the thief of time like a winged chariot was flying fast-o-fast right in front of them, and hence, before they exited this world they had mighty noble deeds galore to be accomplished,  -  igniting minds and motivating hearts all the way! 

And that’s what made them special! 

Well, dear learner, remember, the world needs more of Swami Vivekanandas, more of Dr. Abdul Kalams and more of Mother Teresas, to build up society, to transform society, to get rid of ignorance in society, to give grace and nobility to society, to inspire and to impact society! 

In short, the world needs you! yes...  it badly needs good minds like you!

And that’s what makes you special! 

You may be one such prospective mighty mind, an impactful mind, an influential mind in the making!

But but but… to be a guiding light, you must first be lighted yourself, ain’t you?

Again, to be lighted yourself, you should never ever desire to wallow in, and to hide under the shadows of the lights of others!

And for that, you should cut off on a whole lot of shadows that could so easily beset you! Remember, a whole lot of shadows are waiting to ensnare you all of the time! They might seem such attractive lights that burn so bright, but please remember, they are such vain bogs that have no use on them whatsoever!

There’s a senior professor in our own department at MCC, whom I’ve so admired for this simple reason!

She has never been on, or even known the likes of a whatsapp, or a facebook or an instagram all along! Curious and amazed, I asked her just this last week, on her reason for staying away from all these ‘networks’, and she said, ‘Rufus, I don’t have enough time on me even now! Just imagine if I get onto all those social networks, all my precious time will go down the drain, and that’s the end of my space! My personal space! And secondly, what do I stand to lose by not being part of these networks? Nothing, literally! Absolutely nothing! That’s why, Rufus’, she added!

And that’s what makes her special! 

How true! How sweet! How lovelyyy! Indeed we don’t stand to lose anything by opting out or staying away from these clutters!

And my immense respects to her on this, her noble stance! She is, personally speaking, living her life, and not merely existing!

It’s quite hard but still… when you take a commitment and a resolve to come out of some of these traps and bogs, you will find that there’s such a beautiful light radiating deep within you! A beautiful light waiting to make you shine! Waiting to make you shine so bright!

That’s the path to self-realisation! That’s the path to self-awareness! That’s the path to self-actualisation!

And yes! Once you are out of all those clutters that pull you down, you are free!

Only when you free yourself of all these clutters do you really begin to live! Till then you only exist!, say those good ol’ philosophers of yore!

So if possible, as much as possible, you may try deleting such networking-accounts during these precious holidays and indulge yourself in some ‘creativity unplugged’ endeavour, some rewarding endeavour of which you will one day be so proud of!

I am reminded of the Principal of WCC Dr. Lilian’s words to us all, months back at MCC, where she said, ‘Staying on social media and catching up on the latest gossip is not redeeming time’.

How true an axiom it proves!

Indeed, famous psychiatrists across the city have pointed out that, more than 90% of the time that we spend on social media is mostly centered on gossip! 

And the definition of gossip goes something like this -

Conversation or reports about other people’s private lives; or a casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people!

In the first place, do you really need such reports and such latest information on other people’s personal lives? 

Why on earth should you misdirect all your heart, all your soul, all your time and all your energy on such worthless baubles? on such good-for-nothing trinkets?

When …

there’s a lot of vacuum in your own life!?

There’s a lot of things left unfinished in your own life!?

There’s a lot of things you’ve gotta equip yourself with!?

There’s a lot of things you need to achieve and accomplish in your own life!?

There’s a lot of such productive, rewarding and meaningful things that you could do with your own life!?

Have you ever given a thought about them ever?

Well, and that takes us to today’s lovely-o-lovely book that merits a fabulous discussion of sorts!

One book that I’ve long admired! One book that’s changed, nay transformed my perspective to life and living a full 360 degrees!

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is John Ruskin’s Sesame and Lilies!

Well, Ruskin opens the book with his first lecture, [the book has two lectures, which double up as expositions on two important subjects close to his heart], where he talks about an education that calls for an ‘advancement in life!’

The phrase ‘advancement in life’, throws open a lot of questions, ain’t it?

What do we really mean, when we say, ‘advancement in life’?

Like a Russell or a Jidduji, like a Dewey or a Franklin, Ruskin too has such amazing takes on what it means by a real ‘advancement in life’!!!

To Ruskin, ‘advancement in life’ does not mean becoming prominent or conspicuous in life; or obtaining a position which shall be acknowledged by others to be respectable or honourable, neither is it the mere making of money!

This thirst for becoming prominent in life, to be respectable or honourable, according to Ruskin, is not a noble thirst! Such a thirst then, is the last infirmity of noble minds, and is also the first infirmity of weak ones, says Ruskin, and, on the whole, the strongest impulsive influence of average humanity.

The greatest efforts of the race have always been traceable to the love of praise, as its greatest catastrophes to the love of pleasure, he adds. 

More of Ruskin speaking –

I want you only to feel how it lies at the root of effort; especially of all modern effort. It is the gratification of vanity which is, with us, the stimulus of toil and balm of repose!

The seaman does not commonly desire to be made captain only because he knows he can manage the ship better than any other sailor on board. He wants to be made captain that he may be CALLED captain.

The clergyman does not usually want to be made a bishop only because he believes that no other hand can, as firmly as his, direct the diocese through its difficulties. He wants to be made bishop primarily that he may be called ‘My Lord’.

And a prince does not usually desire to enlarge, or a subject to gain, a kingdom, because he believes no one else can as well serve the State, upon its throne; but, briefly, because he wishes to be addressed as ‘Your Majesty’, by as many lips as may be brought to such utterance.

In such cases, where advancement in life is all about ‘showing off’, oneself for reasons of praise and popularity, one’s sense of duty takes a backseat, says Ruskin!

Moderately honest men desire place and office, at least in some measure for the sake of beneficent power; and would wish to associate rather with sensible and well-informed persons than with fools and ignorant persons, whether they are seen in the company of the sensible ones or not.

According to the sincerity of our desire that our friends may be true, and our companions wise - and in proportion to the earnestness and discretion with which we choose both, - will be the general chances of our happiness and usefulness.

And that’s something that makes you special! :-)

To be continued…