JOIN USA friend, with indefatigable gusto, gushes, saying, “I simply couldn’t help admiring at my aunt’s place, an alluring artefact that was amazingly awesome, which I am aspiring to acquire at any cost. It is a splendid statuette of a soldier, showing off a shimmering sword in his right hand, while from the crook of his left hand, dangles a quaint-looking lantern. This pretty piece was a perfect piece-de-resistance among all prepossessing showpieces, placed in her living room.
I tried reasoning it out saying, the cumbersome showpiece would create a more cluttered look in her already congested living-room space. To which, she riposted: “You know how obdurate I am. Once I set my sights on something, come ‘hell or high water’, I must have it.” Her intransigent attitude silenced me completely. Later on, she did buy the piece by frittering mega bucks, just to junk it on her loft after a few days, to be smothered by layers of dust.
Another friend, a homemaker, was once telling me of her plans of joining as a montessori teacher. It seems, she was quite enthused seeing her neighbour, who was into this profession. I tried telling her that this particular career is a different ballgame, as it called for phenomenal patience in handling teeny tots. “Moreover, one should be a dab-hand at creative works. Only if one has the passion, penchant and predilection for that job, would one enjoy,” I explicated. Heedless to my words, she joined the work, only to bid adieu midway. For, her efforts to pull along had precipitated in fiasco, since she couldn’t simply manage some of the singularly intractable kids. Many times, many of us, try doing umpteen things that may not be suitable to us, to our temperament, and to our lifestyle. We get easily charmed/ carried away by others - things that they possess, things that they do, in the process, we fail to discern our own needs/ requirements, and our own interests/ aptitudes. We don’t understand what is exhilarating someone may be exhausting to us, what is delectable to someone may be drab to us, and what is treasure to someone, may be trash to us. Apparently, by recklessly and indiscriminately doing many things, with our ‘second-to-none’ contending attitude, we lose out on ‘sense of purpose’, which actually gives meaning and direction to our life/existence. Having profound ‘sense of purpose’, in things we purchase, in things we pursue, in things we presume as pleasure-proffering or peace-proffering activities, is indeed of paramount importance.
For this, we should first know before doing a thing, whether it is beneficial to us in long run, and whether is it worth the time, energy and money that we may dissipate on it. Once we are clear about our goals/targets, needs/ requirements, we certainly would be heading in life’s right direction. Else, our life would be rudderless, just like a solitary boat, drifting aimlessly in vast expanse of azure sea.