Happiness....Sadness......2 sides of the same coin?
I once met a swammi (it's a title used to refer to a religious man) in India who told me a story of a man who was ordered by the King to find the one thing in the world that would make sad people happy and happy people sad. So this man set forth on a great journey which last many years...searching for that item or event that would have such an effect on a person. He finally returned to the King with his answer....He told the King that he didn't find an item or an event that could acheive such an effect....what he found were 4 words, "This too shall pass". When said to a happy man, he would become sad knowing that his happiness would not be forever...but the same words said to a sad person would give him hope and make him happy because the suffering would be over.
So I sit and ponder about this statement...increasingly because life in the last 3 weeks has been pretty amazing, and I feel incredibly lucky that all these good things have been happening to me. What with the CSR conference being a success, having worked with an incredible group of people, hanging out with my friends, and well...despite the changes that are happening, reconnecting with them in some manner. The strange twist of events and cosmic forces that bring people together will also pull them apart.
So while I am happy now, I keep thinking of this line "this too shall pass". And it's a wierd sensation because I can see it coming, the sad part to the story. You know like in the movies when you are watching the show and you either know what is happening next or can predict the ending....I sometimes feel like I am a silent witness to the good and bad that happen -- like I can predict how things will end up eventually.
But it doesn't mean that just because the ending is a sad one that one should stop living. My roommate made a good point about life in that just because you know for certain you will die someday doesn't mean you stop living your life. And I could choose to have a dismal attitude knowing that in 3.5 weeks....I will probably be very sad, but I will choose not to.
:) I will think about what a blessing life has been, and how lucky I have been this semester. Look at the opportunities that have come my way, and the people I have gotten to know much better in the past few weeks. I might not have much time left here in the states, but I will try to live life and seize every waking moment of the day. So that I will not have regrets when it's my curtain call in May.
4 Comments:
Great story. :)
great story. almost exactly how i feel about everything in my life now. i wish u the best! u deserve to be happy which shall not pass!!! it is a challenge, but if you dont get it, then who will?
" Happiness depends upon ourselves." Aristotle
OH MAN
I totally feel you.
My time is up here in two weeks. I am planning on hugging everybody and just chilling for awhile.
honestly, I hvae to say that you and I have lived it up to the max.
No matter how sad we will feel when this part of our lives is over...I will find happiness in knowing that I live it up here and achieved more than I thought I would as a 22 year old student.
Most importantly, we are off to do something that we have dreamed about....that in itself is a gift. Something that we believe in and something that we passionate about.
At least we know that we are walking away from something beautiful knowing that we are on to have another great journey..with more knowledge, more friendship, and more great laughter than we had before.
Cheers babe!
Juanita
Post a Comment
<< Home