What should I do?
I do not know from where I have come and what is my destination? What is the purpose of my life and how should I achieve it? Where was I before my birth and where would I go when I die? Why was I born in a particular parenthood and in a particular country? Who are my siblings and what bond do they have with me? Who are my children and in what way they are associated with me? Why I act and behave the way I do? With what purpose the creator has created me, I am yet to find the answer. These are some of the questions that come to my mind and leave me perplexed. In fact these are the questions which have bothered many people including great saints from time to time. I am reminded of the words of a great poet and sufi saint Bulle Shah who wonders.
“ ਬੁਲਿਯਾ ਕੀ ਜਾਣਾ ਮੈਂ ਕੌਣ ||” “ Buliya ki jana mein kaun.” Translated in English, it implies, “ O BulleShah, I do not know who I am.”
Pondering over this question for the last 65 years, I am baffled and thoughtless. Does the life implies to study well, work hard, earn well, raise a family, give them good education and let them do well? Well this would be a very selfish concept of life, where we only wish prosperity and good times for self. Or the meaning of life is to totally get devoted to the society or others and neglect your own clan. Or renounce everything in the world and wait for the salvation day. Well these are the extreme positions. I think hard and even read scriptures but cannot find the satisfactory answers. So I tell myself to forget about all the questions and let me follow some simple steps which would give me satisfaction as long as I live. These are;
- Let my actions or words not hurt anyone.
- Let me not aspire to possess what is not mine.
- Let me follow the principle of fair play and justice.
- Let me listen and follow my inner voice.
- Let me control my anger, greed, lust, attachment, jealousy to whatever extent possible.
- Let me discipline and restrict my desires.
- Let me not have ill will towards others and let me wish them well.
- Let me help others to the extent possible with financial means else at least give my moral support.
- Let me motivate my kith and kin as well as others to be good human beings.
- Above all let me thank the Lord for his benedictions.
Guchi.
Improve Your Life 