LIFE WITH HUMILITY

"Humility oftentimes conjures up images of weakness, submissiveness, and fear.
But this is a false idea of humility.
Real humility is a sign of strength, authentic confidence, and courage.
It is the mark of a true man".

This comment, written by an author whose name I do not recall, perfectly encapsulates the true meaning of humility, one we all will do well to take to heart.

Humility exists at two levels. On one level, it is a state of being humble, or having a low esteem of oneself or tending to project an image of inferiority. It is a feeling that one is less important than others. On the other hand, the more profound attitude is that humility is a virtue, a position of strength and confidence without a need to advertise, to be pretentious or to be disrespectful of another.
Both Confucius, the ancient Chinese philosopher, and St. Augustine, whose life was a study in humility, described it as “the foundation of all other virtues”. Throughout the ages and in every civilization, the one most constant characteristic of many of the respected and successful leaders, thinkers, scientists and teachers is that of humility. All the major religions emphasize repeatedly the importance of humility in the lives of the followers;
In Christianity, consider the life of Jesus, the Son of God. He chose to be born into the family of a poor carpenter, in a stable among animals, and live for most of his life on earth in poverty. And when he began to preach the Doctrine of Heaven he was ridiculed, accused of blasphemy and ignored by the establishment. In the end he was treated like a criminal, tortured and crucified between two thieves. He endured all of this with humility and forgiveness in his heart. His message was clear and indelibly imprinted to all who believe, that entry into the kingdom can be achieved only by humility and forgiveness. The constant theme in the Bible and all Christian literature attests to the overriding emphasis of humility among the disciples, prophets, saints, leaders and teachers in their lives and thought, so much so that the Christianity is often called the Doctrine of Humility.
In Judaism, humility is considered an indispensable ingredient in the religious and social perspective. The Torah contains many references to humility being deeply associated with the complex system of Jewish ethics. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi for Great Britain and the Commonwealth, in his excellent essay On Humility, expressed profound sentiments in the following manner:

“Humility, -- true Humility -- is one of the most expansive and life-enhancing of all virtues.

It does not mean undervaluing yourself. It means valuing other people.

It signals a certain openness to life's grandeur and the willingness

to be surprised and uplifted, by goodness wherever one finds it”.

In Islam, Muslims are encouraged to practice the daily Islamic virtues of modesty, submission and respect and to reject pride and arrogance. The act of prostration at pray five times a day acknowledges a person’s humility and lowliness before the world. The Holy Quran advises the practitioner to “call Allah in humility” to prevent suffering and adversity.
In Buddhism, Humility leads to being liberated from the sufferings of life and all illusions of stress and self-deception by achieving the freedom of Nirvana. Enlightenment can come only after humility, which ultimately leads to wisdom.

I have no doubt that each and every one of us can readily think of many examples of people with true humility with whom we have come in contact or about whom we have read or heard about. For my own self, of the many people who have crossed my path or about whom I have acquired knowledge, I will identify one person whose life has been spent in total humility despite having to deal with enormous obstacles. He is His Holiness the Dalai Lama XIV, who has been forced to live in exile since 1959 when the Chinese invaded Tibet. Despite profound deprivations suffered by him and his followers, he continues to preach peace, love and forgiveness to all. Although he has met leaders of most of the nations of the world, this has in no way affected his self-image and he continues to shine with the aura of humility. The following quotation speaks volumes on his views on life:

"Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive,
I have a precious human life. I am not going to waste it.
I am going to use all my energies to develop myself,
to expand my heart out to others;
To achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings.
I am going to have kind thoughts towards others,
I am not going to get angry or think badly about others.
I am going to benefit others as much as I can."

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When pride comes, then comes disgrace;
But with Humility comes wisdom.
…….Proverbs 11:2

He is always the secure who is humble.
……Gilbert Keith Chesterton

Life is a long lesson in humility
……James M. Barrie

Humility makes great men twice honorable
……..Benjamin Franklin.

In peace there's nothing so becomes a man
as modest stillness and humility.
…..William Shakespeare

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit,
but in Humility consider others better than yourselves.
…..Philippians 2:3

Humility is the only true wisdom by which we prepare our minds
for all the possible changes of life.
……George Arliss

Life is a long lesson in Humility.
……James M. Barrie

O be very sure That no man will learn anything at all,
unless he first will learn Humility.
……Lord Lytton

It is no great thing to be Humble when you are brought low;
But to be Humble when you are praised is a great and rare attainment.
……..St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Humility, like the darkness, reveals heavenly lights.
……Henry David Thoreau

We come nearest to the great

when we aregreat in humility
…….Rubindranath Tagore

LIFE WITH JOY AND HAPPINESS

“When one door of Happiness closes, another opens;
But often we look so long at the closed door,
that we do not see the one which has opened for us”.

This statement recorded by the great American blind/deaf author, Helen Keller, has always impressed me by the simplicity of the words and the power of the message. Far too often we miss the opportunity to share in joy and happiness because we fail the see the obvious.

The terms Joy and Happiness are generally used interchangeably, but they are different. Happiness is an emotional response which is directly related to, and precipitated by current occurrences. Joy is an attitude which influences your behavior and is not related or dependant on current events. Someone once creatively described this difference in the following terms:

“Happiness is the road we travel, Joy is the destination”

Whatever the difference however, the emotional state of Happiness is one which we all strive to achieve and maintain throughout our lives. We spend much of our waking hours thinking how to be happy and to avoid anything that might interfere with it. The truth is that happiness is not easily achieved and even more difficult to hold on. We all look forward to a time when we can finally achieve “lasting happiness”, but that never comes. It is far better to
learn to develop the deeper experience of Joy, which requires an individual to focus away from self and more toward others. Without this, happiness will always remain fleeting and short lived.
Throughout the ages, in all the cultures and all the civilizations, happiness has been the most sought after and reported emotion. The Ancient Chinese held it in highest regard, associating it with the highest standards of behavior. Mencius in 2300BC described the feeling of intoxicating joy if one celebrates the practice of the great virtues. The Greek philosophers were even more preoccupied with the pursuit of happiness as a central theme of life. Aristotle(350BC) described Happiness as the only thing humans desire for its own sake. Every other possession, including riches, honor, health and friendship are sought not for their own sake but in order to achieve happiness. He insisted that happiness is a core purpose for human life. Thomas Jefferson, in his deliberations leading up to the preparation of the Declaration of Independence, specifically identified the importance of happiness when he wrote:

“The care of human life and happiness, and not its destruction,
Is the first and only legitimate object of good government”.

Happiness holds a very central and vital role in all the major religions. Christians teach that true happiness can only be achieved from a genuine relationship with God and that the ultimate end of human existence is the reward of infinite happiness in the Kingdom of God.
Islam teaches that real happiness and peace can only be found in submitting to the commands of Allah the Creator and the Sustainer of this world. In Buddhism, the central theme is the State of Nirvana where the aim of practitioner is to achieve freedom from suffering, everlasting peace and ultimate happiness. In all of them, happiness is regarded as the ultimate reward of the true believer.

In the end, the pursuit of happiness is at once the most universal and most personal goal of every one of us. How, and to what extent we achieve it, depends on a multitude of factors, many of which beyond our control. There is ample evidence in support of an inherited component in the genetic make-up of the individual, as there is in the underlying personality type and the direct effect of parental and social influences. But ultimately true happiness is a very personal experience that cannot be defined or characterized. It is your individual stamp that tells the world that all is well. In a way it is an outward manifestation of an inner feeling of contentment with the world and your life. In a most fundamental sense it is a reflection of your current state of mind exposed for the whole world to see. It cannot be transferred nor can it be taught, but it often can function as a model that others can copy.

In this context I can do no better than to quote from the great Roman poet and author Horace(Quintus Horatius Flaccus) on man's search for happiness:

"You may traverse the world in search of happiness

when it is within the reach of every man.

A contented mind confers on all".

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The word "happiness" would lose its meaning,
if it were not balanced by sadness.
……Carl Jung

Happiness is not having what you want.
It is wanting what you have.
…….Author Unknown

Joy is prayer, Joy is strength, Joy is love
. …….Mother Teresa

Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.
………… Dalai Lama

Happiness is not a goal;
it is a by-product.…… Eleanor Roosevelt,

A thing of beauty is a Joy forever.
…….John Keats

Joy is not in “things”; It is within Us!
…..Sarah Ban Breathnack

Happiness is like a butterfly which when pursued, is always beyond your grasp;
But if you sit down quietly may alight upon you.
…….Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Happiness is like a kiss. You must share it to enjoy it.
….Bernard Meltzer

The search for happiness is one of the chief sources of unhappiness.
…….Eric Hoffer

You cannot always have happiness, but you can always give happiness.
……Author Unknown

Happiness is when what you think, what you say,

and what you do are in harmony.
…….Mohandas Gandhi

The Joy of a spirit is the measure of it’s power.
……Ninon de Lenclos

To get the full value of Joy,
You must have somebody to share it with.
…….Mark Twain.

Joy is too exquisite to last,
And yet, is more exquisite when passed.
.......James Montgomery.

LIVING WITH DESTINY

“I believe in destiny. Everything in life happens for a reason.
It happens simply because it is supposed to.
Although humans are allotted the power of choice,
the outcomes of these choices are long predetermined by some unknown force.
Yet as trivial as this ideology may seem,
my personal experience has lead me to become a firm believer in it”.

The above quotation is taken from an essay by an author whose name I do not recall. It clearly sets out a view, widely held, that in many cases outcomes are often predetermined, subject to an external force and beyond the voluntary control of the individual. Henry Miller, the celebrated American author, expressed this idea more precisely in this quote:

“Every man has his own Destiny;
The only imperative is to follow it, to accept it,
no matter where it leads him”.

Yet, the completely opposite view that Destiny is subject to our own free will and that we are responsible for whom we are and what we do, has very strong supporters. They essentially reject the “pre-determined” concept, insisting that we are finally responsible for our actions. William Jennings Bryan, the great American congressman and orator, described destiny in the following manner:

“Destiny is not a matter of chance, but a matter of choice.
It is not a thing to be waited for;
It is thing to be achieved”.

Throughout the ages, the concept of Destiny being an occurrence subject to an “external force” was universally accepted, and people believed and lived by the consequences. They basically attributed the source and purpose to a superhuman origin and willingly accepted the consequences to the “will of God”. Lord Edward Lytton, the great 19th century English poet and playwright summarized the popular view thus:

“We are but the instrument of heaven;
Our work is not design, but Destiny”.

However during the last century, with the advancing scientific knowledge and understanding, there has been a decided shift in Western cultures away from the idea of supernatural influence, to a more free-choice attitude. The prevailing attitude nowadays is that man is in control of his destiny and is responsible for the consequences.

This contrasts dramatically with the prevailing attitudes in Eastern and Middle Eastern cultures, where the concept of destiny being beyond our influence, remains strongly entrenched. In the Arab culture the term Naseeb is used to explain outcomes beyond individual control. In the Asian cultures, which remain deeply rooted in the ancient customs, destiny plays a fundamental role in life. In the ancient religions of Buddhism and Hinduism, the term Karma is used to explain the concept of destiny as part of the soul under the influence of the Gods.
To a significant extent, this difference explains the opposing attitudes toward life among the Eastern and Western cultures, and the willingness to accept adversity by the former without complaint. In this context I am reminded of an example of a situation where a mother responded to the news of her daughter’s abuse at the hands of her alcoholic husband by saying:

It is God’s will, It is her naseeb in Life”.

My own views however, based on my personal experience over the years, is that there is indeed a destiny in each one of us. Some may call it “coincidence”, others refer to it as “fate”, and the more religious will use “divine intervention”, but in all cases it refers to a random force, an opportunity, presenting itself in a special time and place to an individual. But that is not enough, for your destiny will only reach fruition when you are able convert it to action. Surely we can all recognize the very many occasions where the chance appeared and remained unfulfilled because we were not ready, or able or willing to grasp it.

Destiny therefore, is what you make of it!

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“We do not do what we want,
yet we are responsible for what we are;
- This is fact.”
……Jean-Paul Satre

Think you I bear the shear of Destiny?
Have I commandment on the pulse of life?
…..William Shakespeare

Character is Destiny.
…..Hereclitus

Your Destiny is determined by choice;
-Not by chance.
……Jean Nidetch

The chain of Destiny can only be grasped one link at a time.
…..Winston Churchill

Men heap together the mistakes of their lives;
And create a monster called Destiny.
…..John Oliver Hobbes

And when man faces Destiny;
Destiny ends, and man comes into his own.
…..Andre Malraux

One often meets his Destiny
in the road he takes to avoid it.
…..French Proverb.

The highest Destiny of man is to serve,
rather than to rule.
……Albert Einstrin

Accept the things to which fate binds you;
And love the people with whom fate brings you together.
This is your Destiny.
…..Marcus Aelius Aurelius


Our Destiny rules over us, even when we are not aware of it.
It is the future that makes laws for us today.
…..Friedrich Wilheim Nietzsche

Men heap together the mistakes of their lives;
And create a monster they call- Destiny.
……John Oliver Hobbes

LIFE WITH HYPOCRISY

“On December 11, 2009, Tiger Woods announced he would take an indefinite

leave from professional golf to focus on his marriage after he admitted infidility.

His multiple infidelities were revealed by over a dozen mistresses through many worldwide media sources”.

This statement reported by CNBC exposed one of the greatest hyprocrites of modern times. Woods, who for years projected by word, deed and action the image of a clean, committed and dedicated family man, was in fact leading a life that was a gross abomination to the sanctity and honor of his marriage.

The description of the hypocrite is one who pretends to have “good” intentions while having antagonistic intentions or convictions. It is pretending to be someone you really are not or pretending to be better than someone else. Hypocrisy in one form or another, takes place everyday and everywhere, in our schools, workplaces, government and our churches. It occurs so frequently around us that we have become quite immune to its presence and except for a blatant transgression like Woods’ action, we general accept it without much comment. In truth, there is no denying that often we are, when it suits us, as guilty of hypocrisy as anyone else.

Throughout the ages, hypocrisy has always been the foundation upon which nations have justified their actions in the conquering and domination of their citizens, and other nations. Leaders have been able to reach and survive at the top by successful hypocritical manipulation of their subordinates, and politicians, to a very large extent, have generally survived and prospered by their effective use of hypocrisy.

No institution has been more effective and more successful in the use of hypocrisy as the Religions. History abounds with examples of hypocrisy among all the great religions whose leaders have had no hesitation to use it to further their own causes. Consider the “Inquisitions” conducted by the Roman Catholic Church during the middle ages, when thousands were tortured and burnt at the stakes in the name of stamping out “heretics”. No better, were the Crusaders who in the name of Christianity and the saving of Jerusalem, carried out a ruthless program of rape and destruction of the Moslem countries they conquered.

The Holy Bible contains more references to hypocrisy than almost any other topic. The most famous reference of this is recorded in Matthew 23:24, when Jesus admonished the clerics in the Synagogue thus:

“Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!,

for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have omitted

the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith:

these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel”.

In recent years it appears that hypocrisy has gained even greater popularity, to the point where it has become part of modern day life. It is crying shame when the President of a great nation initiates a war in the name of fighting terrorism by concocting false information. Or a Priest stands on the alter delivering a sermon on the sanctity of the family, while actively involved in the abuse of young parishioners. Or the senior executives of a bank that required a massive infusion of public funds to survive, accepting large bonuses while thousands of home owners are being foreclosed as a result of the executives’ incompetence and immoral actions.
Their actions cry out to heaven for vengeance!

Hannah Arendt, the celebrated German-Jewish philosopher who died in 1973, openly criticized the actions of the hypocrites in the following terms in her publication, On Revolution:

“The hypocrite's crime is that he bears false witness against himself.
What makes it so plausible to assume that hypocrisy is the vice of vices,

is that integrity can indeed exist under the cover of all other vices except this one.
Only crime and the criminal, it is true, confront us with the perplexity of radical evil;
But only the hypocrite is really rotten to the core”.


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Most of us are aware of and pretend to detest the barefaced instances
of that hypocrisy by which men deceive others,
but few of us are upon our guard or see that more fatal hypocrisy
by which we deceive and over-reach our own hearts.
……Laurence Sterne,

Every man alone is sincere.
At the entrance of a second person, hypocrisy begins.
We parry and fend the approach of our fellow-man
by compliments, by gossip, by amusements, by affairs.
We cover up our thought from him under a hundred folds.
…….Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Friendship Essays”

Hypocrisy is oftenest clothed in the garb of religion

……..Hosea Ballou.

The only vice that cannot be forgiven is Hypocrisy.
The repentance of a hypocrite is itself hypocrisy.

………William Hazlitt

The true Hypocrite is the one who ceases to perceive his deception,
the one who lies with sincerity.

………André Gide

Hypocrisy is an homage that vice renders to virtue.
…….François, Duc De La Rochefoucauld,

A Hypocrite is the kind of politician who would cut down a redwood tree,
then mount the stump and make a speech for conservation.

…….Adlai E. Stevenson

Hypocrisy can afford to be magnificent in its promises,
for never intending to go beyond promise, it costs nothing.

……Edmund Burke

LIFE WITH JEALOUSY AND ENVY

Contrary to popular belief, Jealousy combined with Envy is not merely a “negative instinctive emotion or attitude that can affect anyone”. Rather, it should be seen as an all consuming way of life that ultimately devours and destroys a person’s self-esteem as well as his relationship with others. No human emotion can do as much damage to oneself and one’s environment as Jealousy unchecked. John Dryden, the influential 17th century English poet and playwright described this accurately when he wrote:

“Jealousy is the jaundice of the soul”.

Throughout the ages, civilizations and religions have universally condemned jealousy as an evil and undesirable emotion. Some of the most disastrous wars have been fought because of jealousy and envy. History is replete with examples of extreme actions taken by leaders to justify their basic jealousy and envy. More people have suffered directly or indirectly at the hands of jealousy than all the natural disasters in the world.
The Holy Bible in Song of Solomon 8:6-7 records:

“Jealousy is cruel as the grave:
The coals thereof are coals of fire,
which hath a most vehement flame”.

The Holy Quran, in Riyadh-us-Salaheen, Hadith 1569, quotes the Prophet Muhammed:

“Avoid jealousy, for it destroys
good deeds as fire destroys wood."

Buddha in his wisdom, advises:

“Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy others.
He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind”.

Yet despite all of the suffering, the experience of history, and the admonitions of the religions, jealousy remain the strongest and most potent of all the emotions, and continues the exert its negative force on humanity, causing untold pain and suffering to all and sundry.
Nowadays we tend to conflate the separate terms of Jealousy and Envy and use them interchangeably, but traditionally they are quite distinct, each eliciting different emotional responses;
Jealousy refers to the internalized threat to the individual. It is the emotion experienced when an individual felt that a relationship or possession was threatened, or an anticipated loss of something they desired or when attention is directed away from them.
Envy, describes the externalized threat. It is the feelings experienced by one who longed for the possessions or attributes of another, or resented an advantage enjoyed by another person.

Irrespective of which one of these is the primary focus, it inevitably incorporates the other to produce a global response affecting the total person. And once started it will, like a rapidly spreading cancer, continue to spread to involve a person’s whole psyche and his relationship with others, leading to increasing avoidance and isolation.

We can all relate to these states not only because of our experiences with others, but because to a greater or lesser extent we are all guilty of being jealous and envious on many and diverse occasions. Most of the time, these emotions are learned responses and have their origin in early experiences, especially related to parental attitudes and influences. Many experts suggest that there may be an inherited component, pointing to the commonly regarded fact that “it runs in families”. Whatever the etiology however, there is no doubt that the long term consequences of uncontrolled or uncorrected jealousy and envy are personality destruction, distrust and isolation. It is interesting to note that these emotions do exist in the animal kingdom as well and at times may lead to major conflicts within the groups.
Overcoming jealousy and envy can be exceedingly difficult and sometimes almost impossible. It requires a self awareness of the individual that his attitudes and actions are false, and a need to come to terms with his failures. Unfortunately because of an underlying fear and anger associated conviction, it becomes very difficult to persuade them to do so.
In the end, many of them tend to be avoided or become increasingly isolated. As an Indian author whose name is Rajwinraj concluded in his poem:

“Jealousy is anger, jealousy is hate
Jealousy may lurk behind any hidden gate,
Jealousy is deadly, under the night sky
Jealousy is a poison, that many die by”.

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Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming,
But who can stand before Jealousy.
……Proverbs 27:4


There is no greater glory than love,
nor any greater punishment than jealousy.
…Lope de Vega

It is not love that is blind, but jealousy.
……..Lawrence Durrell,

Jealousy injures us with the dagger of self-doubt.
…..Leslie Grimutter

The Jealous bring down the curse they fear upon their own heads. ……..Dorothy Dix

Of all the passions, Jealousy is that which exacts the hardest service and pays the bitterest wages.
…… Charles Caleb Colton

The jealous are troublesome to others, but a torment to themselves. ……William Penn

Jealousy is the tie that binds, and binds, and binds.
……..Helen Rowland

Envy is the art of counting the other fellow's blessings instead of your own. …..Harold Coffin

Envy slays itself by its own arrows. ……..Author Unknown

Our envy always lasts longer than
the happiness of those we envy.
..…..François Duc de La Rochefoucauld

As iron is eaten by rust,
so are the envious consumed by envy.
…….Antisthenes


Envy lurks at the bottom of the human heart;
Like a viper in its hole.
……Honore de Balzac

The praise of the Envious is far less creditable than its censure;
It praises only that which it can surpass,
But that which surpasses it, is censured.
…..Charles Caleb Colton

LIFE WITH HONESTY

We have all grown up hearing the term “honesty is the best policy” so very often at home, in school, on the sports field and in church, over and over again that we take it for granted and very rarely do we question its validity or necessity. Honesty, the quality of being honest, is a value of human behavior which can be defined in variety of ways. In terms of Human Communication, people are considered to be honest when they tell the truth to the best of their knowledge, or do not withhold or alter what they know or think. In respect of Behavior, honesty refers to doing the right thing or abstaining from wrong or unacceptable actions, such as stealing or cheating. In essence, honesty incorporates the concepts of truthfulness and reliability and it resides in all human thought, words, actions and relationships.
Dr. Hal Urban, the celebrated teacher and author, wrote in his book, Life’s Greatest Lessons:
“You’ll never be truly successful unless everything you do,
is under-girded with honesty and integrity”

This statement perfectly encapsulates the fundamental ingredient for the successful conduct of anyone of us. For, combined with Integrity, there is no aspect in life that is as important, or as imperative as the need to be consistently honest, not because other people expect you to do so, but for your own self. Without the intrinsic platform of honesty, any action taken will be robbed of the fundamental quality of reliability and is likely to produce a sense of doubt, leading inevitably to mistakes. Shakespeare (Hamlet) accurately referred to this situation when he cautioned:

“To thine own self be true,
and it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man”.

It is unfortunate that we live in a world where honesty is valued, and yet shunned at the same time. We expect people to be honest in their dealings with us yet we watch and applaud television shows and movies that promote and encourage lying and deceitfulness. Without thinking, we teach our children that dishonesty is acceptable, when we ask our children to tell the caller on the telephone we are not home, or when we refuse invitations by pretending we are busy. These are lessons in deceit and in lying. Isn't it strange that on the one hand, we admonish our children for telling lies, and yet we have no hesitation to lying when it suits us. Children learn by observing us and we should not be surprised that the more we expose them to a world that tolerates deceit, the more honesty will disappear from the hearts of the next generation.
But being honest is not always as easy or as practical to maintain. Sometimes by being honest, we risk harm to ourselves or alternatively, may cause harm to others, neither of which we might find to be acceptable. There are times when the truth if exposed, may lead to unintended results which may give rise to regret. In such situations, for example, when information given in secret may cause serious consequences if released, we must rely on our integrity to counsel keeping the secret in order to spare the feelings of others . Sometimes "honesty" may be dictated by self-interest and self-protection, to ensure personal gain at the expense of others, and unless tempered by a sound integrity, will result in fake or immoral outcomes. This is probably the commonest action seen in society and one that causes much unnecessary pain. It is no surprise therefore that genuine honesty, tempered by integrity, is held in such high regard as a virtue on par with dignity and to honor.
In the end, the true measure of a successful person is not in the power that he possesses, nor in the wealth he accumulates nor even in his social stature, but in his good name and in his honesty. George Washington summarized this very effectively when he wrote:

“I hope I shall always possess firmness and virtue enough,
to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles;
the character of an Honest Man."



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And my Honesty will testify for me in the future.
Genesis 30:33

A Honest man's word is as good as his bond.
…….Cervantes

Where is there dignity unless there is Honesty?
……..Cicero

Every man has his fault, and Honesty is his.
……William Shakespeare

The elegance of Honesty needs no adornment.
…….Merry Browne

Dare to be Honest and fear no labor.
…….Robert Burns
To make your children capable of Honesty,
is the beginning of education.
…….John Ruskin

I have found that being Honest is the best technique I can use.
Right up front, tell people what you're trying to accomplish,
and what you're willing to sacrifice to accomplish it.
…….. Lee Iacocca

Honesty is as rare as a man without self-pity.
……. Stephen Vincent Benet

The measure of life is not strength, but Honesty.
…….John Lyle

Lands mortgaged may return, and more esteemed, But Honesty once pawned, is never redeemed.
…….Thomas Middleton

An Honest man's the noblest work of God.
…….Alexander Pope

There is no twilight zone of Honesty in business.
A thing is right or it's wrong. It's black or it's white.
…….John F. DodgeThe elegance of Honesty needs no adornment.
…….Merry Browne

People who are brutally honest get more satisfaction out of the brutalitythan out of the honesty.
…….Richard J. Needham

Our lives improve only when we take chances
- and the first and most difficult risk we can take is to be honest with ourselves.”
……Walter Anderson

LIFE WITH WEALTH

“Money shouts;
Wealth whispers”.

The above statement was made to me by a good friend, Shakey Hadeed, during a discussion on the benefits and behavior of wealthy people. It describes in a simple, but truly profound way, the fundamental differences among people who have successfully accumulated large sums of money. One only has to compare the obscene image of the very successful artist or sports- personality whose multimillion dollar earning is flouted in the form of extravagant jewelry, mansions with gold plated ceilings and extra-ordinary vehicles that go nowhere, to that of Warren Buffett, one of the most successful entrepreneurs ever, who while being content to live in the same home and drive the same old car, chose to donate more than 80% of his estate to charitable causes.
Unfortunately, in the United States, more than any of the other western industrial democracies, there is an outrageous and perhaps, an unconscionable, disparity in the acquisition and distribution of wealth. This has led to the present lopsided distribution where the top 1% of households own almost 50% of privately held wealth, and more than 80% of the population share less than 15%. It would appear that to many, the real description of the “American dream” is the accumulation of wealth without regard to social justice or responsibility. A very good example of this immoral greed was seen in the follow up to the recent collapse of the American International Group. After receiving more than $170 billion in taxpayer bailout money from the Treasury and Federal Reserve to save them from certain bankruptcy, they promptly proceeded with plans to pay about $165 million in bonuses to the executives in the same business unit that brought the company to the brink of collapse last year, without regard to the thousands of people who lost their homes and livelihood.
Andrew Carnegie, the great American industrialist, in his essay, Gospel of Wealth (1889), recognized the impact of modern civilization and the resulting disparity in conditions resulting from industrialization, and expressed his concerns thus:

“The problem of our age is the proper administration of wealth,
so that the ties of brotherhood may still bind together the rich and poor
in harmonious relationship”.

The central core of his thesis was that the wealthy entrepreneur must accept the responsibility of distributing his fortune in a way that it will be put to good use, and not wasted on frivolous overindulgence. He further suggested that the very existence of poverty in a capitalistic society could be completely eliminated by wealthy philanthropic men who are merely trustees of their wealth and are duty bound to administer it for the good of the public.
Men like Buffett and Carnegie deserve our genuine respect and recognition. They are people who are endowed with the special gift for success, who have worked to achieve the rewards of this gift , but have never lost sight of its true meaning. To them, the reward is not in the accumulation of wealth, but in the recognition and expression of its meaningful redistribution. They do not need to advertise their wealth, their words and deeds will speak loudly for them. Their wealth merely whispers.
However, for everyone of these men, there are many others who by reason of luck, or ability, or inheretance or worse of all, by deception, have acquired large fortunes and influence. They are easily recognized, not by their good deeds or words, but by the noise they make to advertise themselves and their importance. You know them by the mansions they own, and the yatchs and airplanes and automobiles they have, but not by their concern for their environment or their less fortunate brothers. They have no hesitation in underwriting the cost of transporting the complete list of guests, entertainers and food to Morrocco to celebrate a birthday party by Ken Lay of the Enron scandal, while systematiccally cheating thousands of investors. To these people, they use their wealth to shout out their importance.
In the final analysis, the names of these people will never live on, except as a footnote in history. But the name of Carnegie continues to flourish in every school and every library because of the contributions made by his foundation. They learnt early on in their career that any wealth they accumulate is necessarily transient, and only their good name lives on.

As Benjamin Franklin has often reminded us:

“If your Riches are yours,
why can't you take them with you to the other world?”

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Ill-gotten treasures are of no value,
but righteousness delivers from death.
……Proverbs 10:2

One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing;
Another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.
……. Proverbs 13:7

Wealth is the product of man's capacity to think.
……..Ayn Rand
Though I am grateful for the blessings of wealth, it hasn't changed who I am.
My feet are still on the ground. I'm just wearing better shoes.
…….Oprah Winfrey

Wealth is the slave of a wise man;
The master of a fool.

…….Seneca

The real source of wealth and capital in this new era is not material things.
it is the human mind, the human spirit, the human imagination,
and our faith in the future.
…….Steve Forbes

Wealth is not in making money,
but in making the man while he is making the money.
……..John Wicker

Prefer loss to the wealth of dishonest gain;
The former vexes you for a time;
The latter will bring you lasting remorse

……Chilo

Money only appeals to selfishness,
and always tempts its owners irresistibly to abuse it
……Albert Einstein

Riches either serve or govern the possessor.

……..Horace

Common sense among men of fortune is rare.

……..Juvenal

Those who thank God much are the truly wealthy.
So our inner happiness depends not on what we experience,
but on the degree of our gratitude to God, whatever the experience.
……Albert Schweitzer

LIFE'S OPTIMIST, Life with Helen Adam Keller

“The essence of Optimism is that it takes no account of the present.
But it is a source of inspiration, of vitality and hope where others
have resigned. It enables a man to hold his head high, to claim the
future for himself, and not to abandon it to his enemy.”

This statement recorded by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German Lutheran theologian and resistance leader encapsulates the fundamental meaning of being an optimist.

Optimism does not have a simple definition; it refers to the expectation that good things rather than bad things will happen. It is a concept where one looks upon the world as a positive place. Optimists generally believe that people are inherently good and that over time, things will always work out favorably in the end. It is classically characterized in the example of the glass that has been filled half way. While the pessimist will lament that it is half empty, the optimist will rejoice that it was at least half full. Even in situations in which the outcome was less than expected, the optimist understands that it could not have been avoided, and does project it as a flaw or mishap in his life, and quickly moves on.

Throughout the ages, in every aspect of life, optimism in one form or other, has always been a fundamental component in successful outcomes. History is replete with examples of leaders whose successes have been achieved because of their optimism and refusal to consider any other option. I am sure in our own experiences, anyone of us will have no difficulty in identifying many examples of successful people whose singular quality was an abundant supply of optimism. In some ways it is the essential oil which lubricates the machine of hope. Without this driving force and inexhaustible source of energy little will be achieved even under the best conditions.
Over the years in both my private and professional career, I have had the good fortune to meet with, or read about a large number of people who have displayed by word, deed or example varying degrees of optimism in their lives. Many of them I have admired, and in some cases I have tried to emulate in my own life. But of all of these, there is one person who for me, stands out as an phenomenal example of the power of optimism in determining the quality of life and living.

I refer to the incomparable Helen Adam Keller, the renowned American author, political activist and lecturer, who was able to overcome a profound handicap of deafblindness which she acquired from early childhood as a result of an acute infectious disease. With the special help of her teacher, Anne Sullivan, and with determination, fortitude and persistence she was able to acquire extensive skills in communication and learning, attended Radcliffe College and go on to become a successful advocate for several causes, worldwide. She wrote several well received books and in her lifetime received international recognition in America, Europe and Asia.

Throughout her life, Helen Keller attributed her own accomplishments to her profound optimism and did not hesitate to demonstrate this in word, deed or action. From very early in her life, she resolved to make the most of her life and not let any circumstance, handicap or other misfortune to determine her fate. In fact she firmly believed that lessons can be learnt even in these situations. In 1903, while still an undergraduate at Radcliffe, she published a short essay entitled The Optimist, in which she expressed her feelings on this subject. It is a masterpiece and should be read by everyone. (link attached below)
For me, I shall always remember Helen Keller not as a person who overcame profound handicaps, but for having left us a legacy of overcoming, by living optimistically and her belief that:

“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement.
Nothing can be done without hope and confidence”


http://www.archive.org/stream/optimismessay00kelliala#page/14/mode

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Optimism is a seed grown in the soil of faith.
….William Arthur Ward

Optimism is the foundation of courage.
….Nicholas Murray Butler

Teaching is the greatest act of Optimism.
…..Colleen Wilcox

Optimism is the opium of the people.
……Milan Kundera

Optimism is the madness of insisting that all is well
when we are miserable.
….. Voltaire

The basis of Optimism is sheer terror.
……..Oscar Wilde

An Optimist is the man who always sees the glass half full;
-Even in the desert.
…..Edward A. Moses

Optimism is the opium of the people.
…..Milan Kundera

If you can imagine it, you can achieve it:
If you can dream it, you can become it.
…..William Arthur Ward

The Optimist sees the rose and not its thorns,
The pessimist stares at the thorns, oblivious of the rose.
….Khalil Gibran.

An Optimist sees an opportunity in every difficulty,
A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity.
….Sir Winston Churchill

An Optimist is a person who travels on nothing,
From nowhere to happiness.
…..Mark Twain