LIFE AND YOU (II)

Editor's Note:
The following is the second in a series of random collections on the

meaning of life, based on quotations from the greatest authors

and philosophers over the ages.

The interpretations are strictly those of the editor,

but the message is universal and worthy of serious consideration.

5.
"Seek out that particular mental attribute which makes

you feel most deeply and vitally alive,

along with which comes the inner voice which says,

'this is the real me', and when you have found that

attitude, ……..follow it."

This quotation by William James, the great American Physician, Psychologist and Philosopher, considered by many to be the father of American Psychology, stands out as a beacon pointing to correct human behavior and attitude. It constitutes a powerful basis of individual self-help, and is invariably incorporated in the advice and recommendations of all the inspirational speakers.

In a single sentence, he was able to project the fundamental components that make up any successful action. The steps he recommended were clear and uncompromising and were based on a few simple stages. You must begin by finding something which kindles your interest and desires, then be sure of your willingness to commit yourself and your spirit, and when you have, then follow your mind to fulfillment.

James stressed that, to a very large extent, our individual behavior depends on the strength of the attitude and belief we have within us, and that further, we all possess the capacity to improve our lives if we care enough and act accordingly.

We have all seen instances when people have surmounted enormous obstacles to achieve success and we stand amazed at their ability. But the real truth in all these instances, lies in the depth of commitment, the unwavering attitude and the belief in oneself exhibited by the individual.

These are properties we all possess, but in most instances, because of past experiences and negative attitudes, remain buried deep in our psyche by mountains of inadequacies and insecurities. It remains up to us to initiate the necessary changes needed to “find” our true selves. James summarizes this approach in the following way:

“Be not afraid of life.
Believe that life is worth living,
And your belief will help create the fact.”

6.

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life and
don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice.
Most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.
They somehow already know what you truly want to become."

Anyone who has even a passing knowledge of Steve Jobs, the brilliant American business magnate, entrepreneur, prolific inventor, co-founder of Apple Computers and Pixar Animation, will readily recognize the above quotation as an accurate self-description. Since the early age of 17 years he has been changing the way we see the world with an endless series of dramatic innovations born from his fertile mind, nurtured by his insatiable imagination and brought to fruition by an indomitable drive and an overwhelming courage. Over the course of his short life, he has successfully conquered any and every obstacle, rejection, objection, criticism and subterfuge hurled at him.

By any yardstick, Steve Jobs lives his life to the absolute fullest. Even when he contracted a serious and potentially fatal illness, he paused long enough to take steps to correct, as best as he could, his situation, and returned with greater enthusiasm to launch yet another and then another world class gadget.

Much has been said and written about this man. This includes an army of detractors who have not spared him with volumes of criticism. He is accused of being a very selfish, secretive man with few friends, who does not hesitate to crush anyone who opposes him. This may well be true but it does not detract from the fact that he remains a man of unique vision and an insatiable drive to succeed.

Despite his longstanding, recurrent and serious medical conditions, which are likely to significantly compromise his life, he will be one of a limited number of human beings whose actions assures them a place in the history books as having contributed meaningfully to the advancement of civilization. Very few of us can ever aspire to this lofty status.

7.
"When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced.
Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice."

This profound statement, ascribed to the folklore of the great Cherokee Indian Nation of North America will go down as one of the most important advice ever recorded.

We are all born into this world full of hope and expectations, but too often we waste our lives in trying to conform, to do things to please our selfish desires or the demands of others. We spend our lives in accumulating material possessions or achieving fame and fortune at the expense of others. We give little regard to how our behavior affects the lives of our neighbors, and care less about their needs and aspirations. We are driven headlong with the desire to be successful without considering the damage we do to others by design or by neglect.

These are the trappings of our society’s “rich and famous”, whose embellishments and monuments are destined to disappear into oblivion, buried by the sands of time. …And the world is unconcerned!

And then there are some people who spent their time on earth caring for the needs of others and trying to improve the lives of those who because of illness, circumstances, oppression or neglect, are destitute and generally consigned to society’s rubbish heaps.

Throughout history, every generation has produced its compliment of candidates, all of whom possessed one common factor, their names and their works are indelibly recorded in the history of mankind. The world indeed has recognized these people and continues to do so with the passage of time. The names of people like St. Francis of Assisi, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Louis Pasteur and Albert Schweitzer, will live into posterity not for the empires they built, or the material wealth they acquired, but for the lives they led.
Margaret Mead, the renowned American cultural anthropologist, spoke for all of us when she recorded:

“Never believe that a few Caring people can't change the world.
Indeed, that's all who ever have”.



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