Glass half full or half empty?

Is the glass jar half full or half empty? That is usually a million dollar question posed to people by life and circumstances.

Most of us complain about something or other most of the time. On a sunny day, we complain that the sun is shining too brightly and that it's too hot. But on a cloudy day, we long for the sun! It's again a matter of perspective. If one could learn to revel in the feel of rain and think of it as a bonanza for the farmer and a solution to the water problem, the monsoon could be a delightful experience. And, when the sun shines, you could savour the blue of the skies, the birds chirping as they go about their day, and the simple fact that there would be no wet roads and water logging as you moved out.

The young think that the old are lucky because they are free from all work and responsibilities, and the old look back on their youth when they were busy and life had meaning! If the young could just appreciate their youth and good health and appreciate that they have commitments for the day and can travel and eat well, and the old could just recognise that they have no responsibilities and are free to pursue their hobbies and interests, which they could not do when they were in the rat race!

How different life would appear then! When Arjuna sees all his revered family members and Guru arraigned on the side of the Kauravas, and realises he will have to fight them, he refuses to fight. But Krishna sternly reminds him that those against whom he was fighting were not his family but those supporting Adharma. That, it is why the Kurukshetra War is called Dharmakshetra Kurukshetra—the war against Adharma.

He taught Arjuna to understand the war from its true perspective, and thus was the Kurukshetra War fought. Putting things into perspective can make a huge difference in one's quality of life. If you see the glass as half empty, everything in life can be depressing, like the person who sees the sky through tinted glasses. Even the sunniest of days are gloomy for him. But take off the tinted glasses, see the glass as half full, and you will be able to enjoy the blue of the sky, the moonlight night, the chirping of the birds and the laughter of children. So, just gather the rosebuds and savour the moment. Your day will be made!