Decoding Life
How does one begin to write about life? What is the first thought that comes to mind, when the question ‘what is life’ flashes before you? Have you tried to seek an answer, what is the fuss all about? What is the purpose of getting up each day and doing it all over again? As soon as one desire is fulfilled, another wish is born, how long do we carry on in this cycle? We get a sense of accomplishment by achieving a want, but it doesn’t last long and we start craving for more. When are we going to finally feel content? Is my work, my life? Is my family, my life? We are all different from each other, yet we go after the same things. Why is that so? If I am professionally not as successful, or do not earn as much as the next person, does this mean I have wasted my life? If I do not have great friends, family or unable to find love, does it mean, I have no meaning to life? If I do not marry, or have kids or settle, what purpose do I serve? If my physical appearance do not match the acceptable norms of the society, can I not enjoy my life as much as anyone else does? What is right? What is wrong?
The list of questions are endless. The main point of discussion is, who is going to answer these for us? The pile of doubts, to find the meaning of it all, was at peak, when I was at one of the lowest points in my life more than a year back. It is a cliched saying, but I have experienced the truth behind it, ‘when you hit rock bottom, the only way is up’. When the burdens of mundane pulled me down, I made a ladder of these questions to lift myself up. I was ready to learn and know more, and my ‘masters’ appeared. I took refuge in Books! Books in all forms, from authors I haven’t heard of before in life, books which were hidden in the closet for years, books as gifts too started pouring in. There are times when I read 3 books together, in the morning, afternoon and at night. Many a times, the messages getting conveyed in all of them coincide. I find myself feeling amazed at the simplicity of the answers I get.
One of the most important things I have learned during this period is, surrender. Even after reading hundreds of books, if I stick to my conditioned ideas and opinions, the entire exercise would be pointless. I let myself free of preconceived notions, surrender to the words in these pages and absorb what resonated with my instincts.
This process showed me, questions are the just the beginning, surrender comes next, belief is thus built, which gives way for wisdom to seep in. This is validated by The Bhagwat Gita, one of the books I am reading at present, which says, “Faith is not blind belief. It is the aspiration of the soul to gain wisdom”. The important thing, I believe, is not holding on to these difficulties, but opening yourself up to possibilities.
As far as ‘decoding life’ is concerned, the words of Isaac Newton comes to mind, “what we know is a drop, what we don’t know is an ocean”. Well, I am placing one foot in front of the other in this journey, but I have begun!
