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Here is a clip from a 1995 interview of Steve Jobs, where he captures a lot about life…
When you grow up, you tend to get told that the world is the way it is and your life is just to live your life inside the world, try not to bash into the walls too much, try to have a nice family life, have fun, save a little money.
Here is a beautiful story from my collection of short stories I have found in books and on the Internet. I am sure you would relate to it for this is how most of us live our lives.
God said, “Alright son, it’s time to go.”
Surprised, the man responded, “Now? So soon? I had a lot of plans.”
“I’m sorry but its time to go,” the God replied.
“What do you have in that suitcase?” the man asked.
God answered, “Your belongings.”
Have you ever blamed your past for what it has brought you into?
Are you often concerned about how your future might unfold?
If you are ‘but naturally’ kind of a person like me, the answers to both these questions would be a resounding ‘Yes’.
We often blame our past and worry about our future.
‘What if I had…’ and ‘What if’ are the two biggest questions that bother our minds even as we go on living our routine lives.
And these questions are the biggest cause of all the stress and tension we suffer.
Life is in living NOW.
Let’s face it. Not a day goes by that you’re not tempted to glance to the left and to the right to see how you measure up to the people around you.
But it doesn’t stop there, does it?
You’re tempted to compare your children to other children, your spouse to other spouses, your salary to others’ salaries, your car to others’ cars…and your stocks to others’ stocks.
It’s frustrating.
It’s exhausting.
It’s a TRAP!
In the spring of 1871, a young man picked up a book and read twenty-one words that had a deep effect on his future.
He was a medical student at the Montreal General Hospital, and was worried about passing the final examination. He was also worried about what to do in the future, how to build up a medical practice, and how to make a living.
These twenty-one words helped him to become the most famous physician of his generation. That’s not all. He organized the world-famous John Hopkins School of Medicine.
He was knighted by the King of England. When he died, two huge volumes containing almost 1,500 pages were required to tell the story of his life.
This man was Sir William Osler, and the twenty-one words that helped him live a life free from worry were – “Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand.”
“Life is short!”
These three words were the unanimous answer of respondents (aged 70 to 100 and above) in a survey, when asked – “What are the most important lessons you have learned over your life?”
“Life is short,” a retired engineer told the researcher. “It passes in a nanosecond.”
A 99-year-old woman said, “I don’t know what happened, but the next thing you know you are 100.”
Well, this research study was forwarded to me recently by a friend, and it led me to write this post on lessons on how to live life.
Being all of 34, I am no expert in doling out any advice on “living” life, so I won’t venture out doing that.
All I want to reiterate is what the elderly in the survey advice as far as living a happy life is concerned.
What’s their advice?
“If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, ‘thank you,’ that would suffice.” ~ Meister Eckhart.
“God, I am grateful to you for giving me another beautiful day. Thank you for being there with me whenever I need you. Thank you for giving me a beautiful life.”
How often do you start your day by thanking God and appreciating for the amazing life He has given you?
Or let me ask you this. When did you last say “thank you” to someone to show how grateful you were for them?
Most of us cringe as we approach the age of 30 or 40.
For some reason, and for most of us, these age milestones get us thinking – Am I old? Am I overweight? Is this the life I really wanted to live?
Amidst this, one aspect of our lives that gets compromised the most is our “smiles”.
As we age, we tend to smile less and less. We stop realizing how powerful a smile can be.
That is why I took some time to shift my thoughts from my increasing age and reflect on ‘smile’, and share a personal story that got me back to this amazing asset we all possess, and in abundance.
Before Jesus Christ was nailed to the cross, He experienced many terrible things.
He was insulted, flogged, and beaten by soldiers, and made to wear a crown of thorns.
He was humiliated, and made to carry His own cross to the place of execution.
If that was not enough, Jesus was executed publically, as the crowd waited and watched His entire struggle.
Amidst this, how did He respond?
Despite the torment and humiliation, Jesus harboured no hatred for His tormentors. Instead, He offered them forgiveness.
His first words from the cross were – “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”
“Colour the duck yellow, and her umbrella green,” instructed the kindergarten teacher to her students.
But when six-year old Kavya handed her drawing sheet, the teacher asked, “Dear, didn’t you understand my instructions? You have coloured the duck purple and her umbrella red! Have you ever seen a purple duck?”
Kavya didn’t miss a beat, and replied, “But ma’am, I’ve also never seen a duck carrying an umbrella!”
Is Kavya a young rebel?
Given the answer she gave her teacher, Kavya might not be a model student. But she definitely is a brilliant thinker.
You see, following some rules is absolutely necessary for us – like while driving, crossing the street, or paying our taxes.
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