An anatomy of life

Hardly anyone will assert that life is all smooth sailing. On the contrary, many will point out that expecting it to be easy and trouble-free is absurd. Life has always been a test and ups and downs are part and parcel of it. It is in facing obstacles with courage and calm that we learn and grow.

However, what is easy in theory is difficult to put into practice. More often than not, minor adversities succeed in throwing us out of gear. A traffic jam is a good example. A vehicle may suddenly stall and this causes nothing less than pandemonium. Horns bleat, people swear and soon all activity comes to a standstill. Normalcy can be restored with a little give and take, but often this does not happen until the police arrive on the scene. The same kind of problem can arise within the home. We expect our gadgets to work perfectly all the time. Any glitch, say a power outage or a computer breakdown, puts us on tenterhooks. We become anxious, ill-tempered and cannot rest until things are set right once more. Our relationships with others move on similar lines. As long as people are friendly and we meet with approval, all is well. Any criticism though is met with disappointment. This can linger and even cause resentment.

Consider this incident that happened many years ago when I was working as a teacher. The day had begun badly with arguments and tears. I was still heavy at heart when I reached school. Sister M, the Principal, noticed this. Calling me aside, she asked me what the matter was. Under her kind gaze, I unburdened myself. After a brief silence, she said, “Do you think you are the only one facing this kind of situation? Perhaps God has sent you this suffering so that you do not become proud.” Certainly, they were not words designed to bring comfort, but I could see that she was sincere and well-meaning. Strangely, they brought me the consolation I needed. Sister M wanted me to understand that along with the gift of life come frustration and obstacles. The silver lining is that when you accept that life is fraught with difficulties, it becomes easier and begins to be more trouble-free!