Winning Life
© Mind Curry 2004 - 2007
Arc De Triomphe, Concorde, Paris
How do you know if you have lived life well?
Would you call your life a success or a failure? Who decides? And how?
Is it going to be based on the number of people who love you? The number of friends you have? Or is it going to be more on the basis of the wealth you accumulate? But then what do you consider as wealth? Friends? Family? Children? Love? Money? Health?
Is it all not so relative? The person I consider as very successful may be a total failure in someone else's view. The person who walks around with a terminal illness may live life so happily and so carefree that others may be so envious of him. The poor man perhaps lives the most peaceful life, while the richest man may still be disappointed about things. God may have given us everything, but we may still complain about how unfair life has been. There are a million others who are disabled and handicapped, while we complain about the shape of our nose and the hair on our arms. Life, can be a never-ending race..
But then..who wins the race? How do you decide the winner? What makes you call life a triumph?
Construction of the Arc De Triomphe (Arch of Triumph) was ordered by Napolean in 1806 (cant imagine such marvellous structures being created so long ago, but its true!) to celebrate his victories. It was completed in 1836, but by that time Napolean was thrown out and powerless.
When I was a child, I used to try and make deals with God. Looking back it sounds funny, kind of like some loyalty-program..
"God, I will do a lot of good things in life and accumulate lot of points. When I have 100 points, you should give me the power to be super-strong... When I do a lot more good and help a lot of people, and I earn 1000 points, I should be able to fly and see all the world.. But if I used all these powers for my own benefit or needs, I would lose points, and then would have to do more good to replenish the points. (I was reasonable even then! :p). And I help all the needy and stop all the crime in this world, and I will finally earn 100,000 points - thats when I should be able to do anything..ANY thing.."
Soon I realized that if I could do any thing, I would be God.. Now thats not possible.. Or is it? Would God like that? Would I last long enough or would I lose all my points immediately doing the stupid things?
Anyway, God didnt subscribe to my loyalty program..not yet - at least not officially, or maybe he has not told me - and probably I havent accumulated enough points yet! But I know that ultimately the only winning I will have in my life are these points. They may not translate into the power to fly or do ANYthing..but these points are the only thing I will carry when I complete this life.
So I guess it makes sense to do good in life.. That will create a winner. Thats the only real victory.. The end of the race.. Triumph!
Labels: god, Life, meaning, Myself, Random Nonsense
posted by Mind Curry at Monday, February 04, 2008
9 Comments:
Interesting post!
I believe this is a question that one must ask oneself. Self introspection,an honest one, may provide the answer. It works for me every time. Having the courage to own up (to yourself) if you have made a mistake, trying to sincerely make amends if required, treating everyone with basic courtesy, kindness and respect. None of us are perfect, we all come with a few defects, and accepting that goes a long way. Material things, or lack of it, do not define a man's success. Although, ofcourse in the short run, it does resemble success. Ultimately, its peace of mind, one's hardwork and efforts translating into something good, genuine happiness that arises out of true love, loyal friends, forgiving a foe, etc. It's being true to oneself, without falling into the deep pit of selfishness and self centeredness.
I recently read a book by the Dalai Lama in which he says, a good human heart and a good human brain working together can achieve a lot. Perhaps the output that comes out of that combination is what success really means.
Sorry for the long comment. :)
very deep thoughts!! I like the deals you made with God, in fact as a child I used to write letters to God but only asking for wishes, never really promising Him anything in return.
@ anonymous - i pretty much figured out my own answer, and hence the post. i was not really trying to talk at a metaphysical level, but rather trying to break it down to simpler stuff..
your thoughts are good, although there is some deeper sense of angst in it. but great to know it works for you. i guess thats the key point - what works for you - for me a simple loyalty program with God works best.
thank you for the long comment.
@ ms - and i am sure God must have thought to himself "what a sweet child" :)
very nicely expressed and even I believe that success is a very subjective term . And the only person that can decide about your life is you . We are all born with our own unique natures and to me my success is defined by being completely honest and true to my nature . Like the story of the scorpion and the sage where the scorpion was true to his nature by stinging the sage and the sage true to his nature by trying to save the scorpion .
My nature has always asked of me and has always wanted me to beleive in and find true love . A love which in its purity and truth can make me reach the highest point in my self , that of complete self abnegation for the other , where the I dissolves and united with the other leading to a sense of absolute completeness .A love whose strength and frangrance will give me the ability to see good and do good to all , to love all long after the physical presence for that source of love has left my side .
(referring to the conclusion in the blog post)
And how do you decide "good"?
In your own words that is relative.
And so you do what you think is good?
So, as long as you can justify everything you do to yourself as being "good" it leads to 'real victory'? Ofcourse real is relative too, so I sorta agree with what you say.
:) I still make deals with God, not as carefully worked out as yours, mine's a lot simpler.
Funny part is most of time it works...at least most of the time I have a feeling that what happened was fair, what I got was what I deserved (well, not always, but almost if good enough, right?)
A lot of questions still remain, but now at least, it doen't bother me so much.
Really well written. :)
I think your deal needs to be more lucrative for God to accept... u still have a lifetime there :-)
and only people in the past envisioned momuments which spoke to the onlookers, nowadays the buildings are mere reflections of ourselves that I do not enjoy!
Interesting post:)zfgdfd
What's the use in being a winner? :)
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