Siddhartha`s loved ones had planned a different path for him but it was in disobeying them, Buddha, the pathfinder was unfolded. Mahatma Gandhi, Rajaram Mohan Roy, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela... all of them, whom we consider the architects of a new social conscience, authored a political or social revolution by their choice of disobedience.
You can either be a psychological adult or a psychological child. A psychological adult is like a painter. The brush is in his hand and he has the choice of strokes. He creates what he chooses to create. A painter is a choice maker. A psychological child is like a painting. It is a consequence of the painter`s choices. It has no say in what it is becoming. A painting is a mere consequence receiver. Mona Lisa may be the world`s finest piece of art. Yet, it is only a consequence of Leonardo da Vinci`s choices. Millions of Mona Lisas can be duplicated; will there ever be another Leonardo da Vinci?
Your loved ones, your society, your religion, your constitution, your organisation, and your community - everyone wants to play the role of a painter in your life. There is no point in placing your life in someone else`s hands and then cribbing, crying and sobbing that you are not happy with your life. An obedient painting should gleefully accept what it has become, for it had chosen obedient surrender to its painter. Else, snatch the brush. They had their life and if they have missed the chance to paint their life it is their missed opportunity. The canvass of your life cannot be used for their experimentation. You may not have the genius of a Leonardo da Vinci, but it`s okay. Make the strokes you can; scribble; at least what comes out will be your making. Then, your life becomes your responsibility. You might make mistakes, but they will be your mistakes.
Of course, the process of a psychological child attempting to become a psychological adult is always painful for everyone involved. It rarely happens without tears. It is through practice of disobedience that a consequence receiver becomes a choice maker. The choice maker begins to feel that he is losing the hold he always had on the consequence receiver. If you succeed in becoming a choice maker, he cries; if you fail in your attempt, then you cry. Either way, the birth of a psychological adult or the failure to become one always brings with it tears. But those are life`s ways of evolving a new you. Either tearfully become a history maker or tearfully remain a history reader. The world that cries when you begin, will stop crying once you start producing results.
Neither are all disobedient people disrespectful, nor are all obedient people respectful. Lord Mahavira said, `Live and let live.` Christ said, `Love thy neighbour as you love thyself.` Even such messiahs have asked you to put yourself first and then the rest of the world. A choice maker merely puts self-respect first, before he attempts to respect others.
You have only one life to live. Even if you are reborn, you will not be born as you. Don`t miss this chance. Don`t miss yourself. It is better to earn a bad name and live a good life, than to earn a good name and live a bad life. Dare to be yourself.
You can either be a psychological adult or a psychological child. A psychological adult is like a painter. The brush is in his hand and he has the choice of strokes. He creates what he chooses to create. A painter is a choice maker. A psychological child is like a painting. It is a consequence of the painter`s choices. It has no say in what it is becoming. A painting is a mere consequence receiver. Mona Lisa may be the world`s finest piece of art. Yet, it is only a consequence of Leonardo da Vinci`s choices. Millions of Mona Lisas can be duplicated; will there ever be another Leonardo da Vinci?
Your loved ones, your society, your religion, your constitution, your organisation, and your community - everyone wants to play the role of a painter in your life. There is no point in placing your life in someone else`s hands and then cribbing, crying and sobbing that you are not happy with your life. An obedient painting should gleefully accept what it has become, for it had chosen obedient surrender to its painter. Else, snatch the brush. They had their life and if they have missed the chance to paint their life it is their missed opportunity. The canvass of your life cannot be used for their experimentation. You may not have the genius of a Leonardo da Vinci, but it`s okay. Make the strokes you can; scribble; at least what comes out will be your making. Then, your life becomes your responsibility. You might make mistakes, but they will be your mistakes.
Of course, the process of a psychological child attempting to become a psychological adult is always painful for everyone involved. It rarely happens without tears. It is through practice of disobedience that a consequence receiver becomes a choice maker. The choice maker begins to feel that he is losing the hold he always had on the consequence receiver. If you succeed in becoming a choice maker, he cries; if you fail in your attempt, then you cry. Either way, the birth of a psychological adult or the failure to become one always brings with it tears. But those are life`s ways of evolving a new you. Either tearfully become a history maker or tearfully remain a history reader. The world that cries when you begin, will stop crying once you start producing results.
Neither are all disobedient people disrespectful, nor are all obedient people respectful. Lord Mahavira said, `Live and let live.` Christ said, `Love thy neighbour as you love thyself.` Even such messiahs have asked you to put yourself first and then the rest of the world. A choice maker merely puts self-respect first, before he attempts to respect others.
You have only one life to live. Even if you are reborn, you will not be born as you. Don`t miss this chance. Don`t miss yourself. It is better to earn a bad name and live a good life, than to earn a good name and live a bad life. Dare to be yourself.
The author of this article is TT Rangarajan
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