How we deal with adversities determines whether we will advance in life or fall backwards, says Ajit Kumar Bishnoi
We all face adversities in our lives. No one is an exception. How we deal with them determines whether we will advance in life or fall backwards. Feeling sorry for oneself or seeking sympathy is not going to help. Such adversities are results of our past impious, sinful deeds only. No one is to blame for them except ourselves. A loser gives up, having resigned to his or her fate, whereas a winner looks for opportunities in them. The following examples will illustrate:
A boy is born in a low caste, poor family. Rather than wasting his time, he chooses to go to the local school. He does well; gets a scholarship, which allows him to continue his education. He goes on to become a successful professional.
A girl is married into a greedy family. They harass her for dowry. Not satisfied with what her parents could cough up, she is kicked out of the house with her newborn daughter, when her father passes away. Not feeling sorry for herself, she takes up a job of a school teacher. She earns enough to sustain herself, her daughter and her mother. Most importantly, she is able to impart good sanskars to her daughter, which would not have been possible in her husband’s family.
A boy is born with highly depressive tendencies. His family seeks medical help, which gives him some relief, but he is not cured. He turns to God, studies scriptures, does many spiritual practices and becomes God conscious. Gradually, he becomes peaceful. He becomes a great devotee of God, which brings him unimaginable benefits.
An employee loses his job in a recessionary period. Not losing heart, he starts his own business on a small scale. He works hard and slowly builds it up. Times change and business environment improves. His business flourishes.
A girl child is born in a family longing for a boy. There is no child after her. Her parents are greatly disappointed. She bears the brunt of their frustration. However, she is a fighter and studies hard. later in life, she provides support to her parents in their old age, besides helping her husband maintain their family.
A footballer has a serious accident, which ends his budding professional career. Heartbroken, he composes himself. Once medically fit, he looks for an avenue to coach. He starts coaching in a local club. Not much later, he gets a chance to join the coaching staff of a famous football club. He grabs this opportunity with both hands and carves a successful coaching career.
What did we learn from these examplesIJ That all is not lost even when misfortune strikes. After all, we are human beings, blessed with intelligence. When things turn adversely, that is the time to dig deep into oneself and see what can be done to extricate oneself from the trouble one is in.
That is the time to really get serious; it is no longer possible to coast along. We have to look for new avenues, different from what we are used to. Maybe, we need to seek help; we should not be too proud to avail of what can be obtained. And we should turn to God, who does help persons who seek his assistance. This is the time to cement our bond with God — the ultimate goal of the human life.
Bishnoi is a spiritual writer