Past present or future, take your pick.

In today’s busy world, people are so preoccupied chasing their dreams. Sadly this road ends for most people having not achieved what they set out to do in the beginning. We are all human beings, we all make mistakes, we are all uncertain, that is what makes life interesting. Wouldn’t it be boring to wake up in the morning having planned a certain activity to the last detail, and it happened just exactly as planned. It truth if you sit back and think , I am sure that even the smallest activity you have planned had never happen as per initial plan. I am not going to say, then why bother planning? Because as much as planning is important keeping an open mind towards the future is too. The key word here is balance, balance and balance! I can’t stop emphasizing this because it is the fine line between happiness and eternal misery. Not knowing what the future holds, but still having a plan for life, this is the beauty of life; this is what keeps us alive.

Why do we go wrong and why so? The answer is simple. We are either dwelling in the past that is history or living in the future that is a mystery. We totally ignore the most valuable part of our lives, the PERSENT. As said before we all make mistakes. The consequence is guilt and regret. If you are stuck at this phase of coping then you will continue living in the past. No crime at whatever cost is worth throwing away your life for. You make mistakes, some small and some gigantic. I always stand by the principle that men are divine in nature. It is the situation that he is put in, that makes all the difference. For every, mistake done or ever crime done there is a reason for it, no matter how ridiculous it may be. The situation causes the dilemma. How you deal with it will be a complex interaction between you character and resources. We are made to survive, this is the basic instinct. How we do that, is what that makes us different. If we say that education will solve this problem, I will still say it is only partially true. Big named academicians also make mistakes and commit felony. There is no exception to the rule. It is the situation and how you decide to deal with it. The interaction, it is multi factorial and complex and rather difficult to explain. Each crime has a story behind it if you care enough to listen. The truth is that we can never be exactly in the same state of mind of another, though we try to fit his shoe when judging. So whatever sin, crime or mistake you have made, no need to throw your life away for it. The message is simple deal with your past and move on.

There is another caution here. When I say deal with it, I mean work it out and not ignore it and brush it away. It is very important because this guilt will haunt you in the future, if it is not emotionally and psychologically worked out at present. As you progress in the mundane world your higher purpose also unfolds. When we get older we tend to be more spiritually inclined. This is an interesting observation. Maybe because we tend to realize the complexity of life, enabling us to understand that not all coincidents are coincidents. I know that there is something greater that we don’t understand and we use religion as a front for this purpose. If we don’t work out our problem or guilt at its roots you will suffer its sting one day and have an emotional breakdown. So work it out. Share your problem with someone close or someone trained. You need to discuss with a person who will not judge you and will keep an open mind. Ultimately the answer and solution will only come from you. Your guide will just facilitate you in reaching the conclusion. It is a great felling having dealt properly with a burden. You can finally move on. You can finally live.

The next issue is the future. We all have dreams and expectations in our life. I want to be a millionaire; I want to life a luxurious life. I want this, I want that and in truth, I will never we satisfied with wanting. What makes us want things? Comparison! We see what other have and we strive to have it too. We think that having these things will make us happy. I hate to burst your bubble but even the rich have their own problems, sometimes worst then what we have to face. Life will never turn out the way you planned it. So why throw away half you life planning something that may never happen. I am not saying, forget the future. Again I emphasize balance. Have aims and goals in life and work along it but don’t be obsessed with it. Keep an open mind.

If working out you guilt is the way to move from the past satisfaction is the key of dealing with the future. Learn to be satisfied, that is the true happiness. Don’t think of what you did not get, enjoy what you have. Don’t be greedy because a greedy man never enjoys what he has accumulated, he will be so preoccupied with getting some more. He will finally will die thinking of getting some more. So why go down this pity and sorry road. Learn to be satisfied. Chasing wealth will not bring you happiness; it will just further fuel your frustration. To really be happy, a change of attitude is to be in order. Change how you look at things. How? The method lies in a great Sanskrit word called viveka (analytic discrimination). Sit down in a quiet place and think. What do you want in life, then go forwards and analyze further. You will get the real answer to your question. I give an example. Say you want to be happy. How to do that? Get a million dollars. Then what? Buy a house, get a family? Then what? If you keep on this road of analytic discrimination, analyzing each step and the fruits as well as the new problems that will arise with each step, you will conclude that is a never ending road and you will abandon the will.

Again please don’t take this as a blanket rule. Balance! I can’t stop emphasizing this enough. Don’t give up future planning. Plan! But be open minded. Be grateful for what you get. Enjoy the little that you have because it is far better that having lived life not enjoying anything at all being preoccupied with having more. Live life my friends because it is worth living. You only get one shot at it. People talk about after life but no single soul can guarantee you this. So live Life! Happiness is a state of mind not a dream to pursue. The past is history the future is a mystery but the present is worth living. Live today and the future will fall nicely in place. Shiva