Once a depressed, sad, and frustrated old man went to a Guru. He had lost all his life savings. He had become bankrupt. He had lost all hope in the game of life.
He told his story to the Guru. The Guru listened patiently and then picked up a paper and a pen. He then said to the old man –
“I now know what you have lost but I would also like to know what you still have.“
The old man thought for some time and started telling things he still had one by one:
- Healthy Body
- Loving wife and 30 years of happy married life
- Sensible and lovely three children
- Purity and honesty
- His country, that provided ample opportunities
- And finally unbreakable faith in God
After listing down, the Guru handed over the paper to the old man and said –
“In my view, even after losing everything, you still have a lot of wealth left as per the list which is by no means ordinary!”
There was a glow on the old man’s face. In a happy and embarrassing tone, he said –
“Amid hopelessness, I never thought about all these things. Now I realized that my situation is not as bad as I initially imagined it to be. With my will and inner strength, I can still make a comeback.”
The old man had found the secret of life, a rekindled self-confidence, and a change in perception about life. He was now ready to start a new chapter of his life.
Wisdom Bite
In today’s times, it is very common to see people getting into depression. They are unable to cope with the situation. Instead of taking the problem head-on and finding solutions, they resolve to isolation and let their mind/thoughts take over their life. They need to take the help of their family or close friends to help them cope with the situation and find a solution together.
There are only two obstacles in the path of happiness and success, depression, and despair. Those who can overcome these two obstacles are the ones who can achieve success. It is more in the mind that the person is depressed and sad but in reality, the situation may not be as bad as they think it to be. Nothing is impossible for a person who can avoid mental anguish, imaginary fear, and complaints about their situation.
There are ample examples where people have faced extremely challenging situations in their life and come out victorious. They become an inspiration for others. When we see, read about them, our problems look so small in comparison. (some inspiring stories – Sindhu Tai, Capt Shalini Singh)
Life is a precious gift of God. Make it worth living, all you need is a positive frame of mind and a new direction to your thoughts.
