IF

IF I try to impose a rule or law that is now viewed as outdated and useless, I did not learn the lesson the first time around.

IF I am impatient to teach you while you learn for yourself, I haven't mastered the lessons myself.

IF I put too much effort into winning an argument, I risk losing the people who matter.

IF a rumor is spread about me, and I don't make an effort to disprove it, it becomes accepted as truth.

IF I ask you to do more while not making the extra effort myself, I am unreliable.

IF I can't help bring out the best in you, then I'm not showing you the care you deserve.

IF I don't stand up for what is true, I let you view an illusion as the reality.

IF I don't value and adore anything about myself, I don't believe in God.

IF I proclaim, "God is good!" but, deep down, I question and ignore His existence and full authority, I then am a hypocrite.

IF I can't get you to believe and realize that life is lovely anyway, I trick you into thinking that great things are unreal.

IF all I see is darkness within me, I will make your day so miserable too.

IF I fail to set a good example for you, I leave you with nothing amazing to aspire to.

IF I tell you what to do all the time, and prevent you from speaking up and championing for yourself, I make you into an idiot.

IF I take up all the work and don't let you put forth any effort, I render you useless.

IF all I do is whine and contribute to making the issue worse rather than better, I am not at all helping.

IF I am unwilling to defend others for their own good, I cannot expect God to protect me either.

IF I stand in the way of someone's personal growth, I am failing them. 

IF I prevent people from freely seeking and discovering the truth for themselves, I am living a lie myself.

IF I believe that I am superior to you by undervaluing you, I am no better than anyone else.

IF I believe that being complacent will lead to greater achievements, I'm fooling myself.  

IF I am not open to change, I lose out on wonderful chances and even the people I adore.

IF I give love more and accept less than I deserve in return, I let other people devalue and take advantage of me. 

IF I fail to consistently abide by my own teachings, my beliefs lack substantial moral significance.

Go For It!

Do you consider yourself to be really fortunate since everything you do in life seems to fit perfectly? Or, when anything goes wrong, do you usually second-guess every choice you make in life? When faced with a cross roads, do you choose to halt or continue forward? Or do you just ignore the obstacles and go about things in your own manner, aimlessly? 

Isn't life full of difficult questions? The less difficult paths in life don't require as much effort and are less convoluted. However, don't you think that some simple tasks also get somewhat boring when they are done too frequently? Shouldn't we all be advancing together with the world? How do we stay up with the rapid advancement of the world? If we just forced everyone to fit into the mold—a mold with restrictive systems—wouldn't that make us all happy to fit in?

Even in highly developed nations, the majority of the populace finds it difficult to blend in. Paradoxically, the majority of people in several developing and impoverished nations are working harder to improve their current condition in life. Wouldn't it be fantastic if, in order to flourish in the ever changing world, we designed our own system that best suited our goals? Alternatively, would we choose to give in to the limiting mechanisms and then wallow in self-pity, blaming the restrictive system? Wouldn't it be wonderful to see the systems we designed for ourselves encouraging others to follow suit in order to keep up with the times?

I ask myself far too many of these logical questions all the time. Surprisingly, they all began when I became a three-year-old and felt liberated from all the constraints in my life. Since then, I have made every effort to design a life that fulfills me and calms me, despite the obstacles I encountered in my surroundings, so that I can grow, improve, and be freed from anything that would prevent me from becoming a better version of myself. 

We can all be successful in different ways. Everybody has a purpose in life. But when people put too much attention on the journeys of others rather than their own, they wind up holding themselves back and find it difficult to advance in their own lives. It is our birthright to equally thrive in the world, and we can all motivate one another to improve so that we can all prosper in the rapidly evolving and changing global landscape.

 

Golden Laurels

Do compliments and flatteries mean the same  thing? Have we been receiving so much compliments, that overtime, made us feel so quite the opposite and insignificant, even to the point of second-guessing ourselves?  Or worst, have we always wrestled with the thought of living up to the high expectations of others? But why did we start looking for so much approval when we were born with unique qualities in the first place?

We are our own worst critics sometimes.  We live in this world of bubbles where societal norms and ideologies were made for us to follow certain tenets. And those who assert themselves to be different, and not conform to the patterns, were labeled as a disgrace. Does it matter if others think wrongly of us, when each of us makes a profound difference, impact, and positive change in this world? What consequences are we trying to avoid: the condemnation of the collective whose lives fit the bubbles, or the accolades of those who thrived in life because they did not fit the mold? 

Before we can all create a lasting, positive, or even negative, impact on others, or perhaps, the greatest accomplishment in history, we must first take decisive action for ourselves. Let us, therefore, seek something more meaningful and long-lasting, something that will etch our name in the memories of the people who really matter, rather than a senseless validation in the form of temporary praise.

The World As We Know It

The story of the world, as we know it, was handed down from our ancestors to the generations that followed. But for some diverse reasons, many generations have become so numb and oblivious to the stories that are told over and over. The transmission of historical knowledge has come to a gradual and detrimental halt as a result of the deaf ears of the following generations. In the course of time, the crucial episodes of our ancestors' stories have long been forgotten and erased in our memory. And now, history is slowly unfolding and repeating itself, but no one appears to understand, as to why or how these series of events seem to be happening so intensely and quickly. No one had to indulge in blame games, if only we knew the cause and effect of history.

Everybody has their own unique set of issues to deal with. But have we not come to the realization, that despite the fact that each of our problems in life is unique, they are all interconnected? And while there are untold pieces of history, isn't our current story really a retelling of the past? Why do certain members of the current age seem so cut off from the past? Is history not so significant, when occurrences in the modern era  appears to be influenced by what happened in the past?

History has never been my thing. In high school, we covered that subject frequently, yet, every time we did, the mere thought of it made me drowsy. What could we expect from tepid listeners, maybe, given that our teacher wasn't as eager to discuss that subject?

I was mistaken in my belief that whatever happened to my ancestors would never happen to me, at least not until I decided to intentionally change my mindset, as well as my own life in order, to break a vicious cycle. Even if I still tell my son about my past, it's never in vain, because I also share with him other lessons about how I dealt with my past. And my son will probably be able to overcome his own challenges with great success, now that he knows about my history.

Whether we all agree or not, our ancestors deserve gratitude for giving us life today. It is thanks to them that we are who we are in this modern period. Some of our ancestors have made their imprint on the prosperous heritage that their current generations are now lavishing on. But some of our ancestors didn't perform well in their age and didn't take the required steps to improve, which is now causing problems for the current generations.

In the world in which we all live, history is never truly just a thing of the past; rather, it serves as a constant reminder of the present, of lessons to be learned, of what needs to be fixed in order to break a vicious cycle, heal the devastating wounds of the past, and prepare the next generations to take on the challenge head-on. Therefore, retelling of our history becomes so compelling, but only when they are told with so much fervor, and conviction of offering the new generations the insights necessary, to resolve certain issues of all levels: be it personally, collectively, nationally, and globally.

If bringing about a conscious change in ourselves takes time, how much more for managing bigger and more complex issues? Managing larger and convoluted issues requires the collaboration of all amiable, active, dynamic, idealistic, and creative minds of like-minded people. Moreover, many passed down misinformation have to be unlearned, and numerous untold realities have to be relearned.

Knowing the past enables us to face life directly, make the required positive changes, and bring a conclusion to what must come to an end. Although we have all admitted and accepted that our ancestors made numerous mistakes in the past, we now have the opportunity to make up for them, for the benefit of not just the present generation but also for many generations to come.

We Are Our Own Freedom

Until now, there has never been a period in our global history when freedom was exercised fully with such fervor. Even while some nations appear to be embodying freedom superficially, yet, their citizens are still subjected to laws and regulations that are intended to keep them under control. Certain fads mentally stimulate certain class of individuals so they easily follow suit. Some traits are regarded as normal, and those who don't conform are labeled as outcasts by their peers and their families.

If we are all still subject to restrictive ideologies, laws, and institutions, then what good is freedom? How can we break out from that terrible trend? Can we reinterpret freedom and declare that the term "freedom" is obsolete? We may all be our own freedom; we can also start a new trend collectively.

Picketing is another way to exert one's freedom, but it's not the best idea because it could lead to additional laws and restrictions; it's like inviting more trouble instead of solving it. Although winning an argument can help you win conversations, you might never be able to win over those whose opinions don't matter. To rile up a big crowd requires a great deal of skill, knowledge, and perseverance. But first, since we don't have much patience to begin with, it's crucial to cultivate it within ourselves. Still, we should exercise our freedom most courageously within our own walls and identities.

Freedom of self-expression was never valued in the generation I come from. My family consists of six children, and since I am the fifth, I felt obligated to follow any pattern our eldest set for the rest of us siblings. Was it the kind of freedom I truly desired for myself? I asked myself this silent question constantly when I was three years old, and it has persisted to this day to help me make many important decisions in my life.

It is possible to depict speech and freedom of expression in a more tasteful, artistic, sensible, and unapologetic manner, than simply showing it irresponsibly without considering if it should inspire or only have an influence on others. Formerly considered a taboo, tattooing is now accepted as an artistic medium, and for some people, each incision on their body represents a meaningful story. Another kind of art in which everyone can express themselves without feeling guilty is music and songwriting, whether through simple listening, composition, or singing. As for me, writing is just another way that I express myself. 

These days, there are other ways to fight for our freedom besides combat. Bloodshed is no longer the norm; instead, peaceful collaboration and corroboration of the creative ideas of those seeking freedom are more common, a freedom that would last for many lifetimes.

You

If there are vicious and baseless stories circulated about you, would you believe them yourself?  Do you still find it upsetting if you know it's not true, or do you simply ignore it and take no action?  

While it's natural to feel upset when false information is being circulated about you, it's important to bear in mind that these falsehoods do not reflect the truth about you. They hold no bearing on your worth or the value of your accomplishments.

However, what is the best course of action for something over which you have no control?  To fight it positively, the best method I know is to just become a better version of yourself—if not the best version of yourself—by always improving. All gossip about you will be refuted in this way, and those who spread false information will find it difficult to continue believing what they are saying.

What Is The Matter?

Over the past ten or so years, a great deal has happened on a national and international level.  Natural disasters, pandemic, wars, famines, and political unrest among dynasties were all occurring at the same time. Shall we list a few more of them? Not to mention our own problems, we might not be able to endure these terrible experiences if we absorb them completely into our underdeveloped human mind.

We may therefore only learn what our minds are capable of as we get older. We address the easier problem first, then go to the next.  It was implied to us that some tragedies could not be fixed.  Not unless we first change our negative mindsets. 

Giving in to fear, ignorance, and withdrawal won't solve the issues; on the contrary, it will make them even worse. This is similar to binge drinking alcohol to block out the agony and sleep on it, only to have the anguish intensify when one wakes up with a hangover.

Collaborating as a team entails gathering individuals who are composed, friendly, cooperative, and, for the most part, skilled at handling difficult problems.  Therefore, we should openly address problems courageously, bring attention to all personal, collective, national, and global difficulties, and see the underlying dynamics and spiritual importance at work, rather than resorting to an unproductive action by simply ignoring or holding hatred toward them.