Value experience over things

 

|| Value Experience Over Things ||

 

It is said that every experience in life you have makes you grow, whether it's the experience of eating nutritious food with good habits and discipline, having a good education from a positive environment with a good school, or developing a healthy thinking process as an individual. Learning to dress oneself in clean, neat, and presentable clothes also contributes to this growth. Additionally, having friends who believe in you and support you in times of need, or engaging in charitable activities wherever and however it is needed, can foster personal development. If you approach these experiences with focus, sincerity, and an open heart, they yield the best results and become more valuable than material possessions. Every step and moment in life brings new experiences, and it's said that any experience, whether positive or negative, can have intrinsic value. Unlocking that value is a matter of our choices. I believe that if you start implementing the value of these experiences in your life, it will be transformative for both you and the people around you.

I was walking on Juhu Beach, and I observed many people walking around on the beach for pleasure. There was a cleaning car with a few cleaners on the beach; they were collecting the garbage from the beach. It was too hot, and those cleaners were literally perspiring. They were drinking water to continue cleaning the garbage from the shore. There were people seeing these cleaners cleaning and perspiring, and they were enjoying themselves, throwing garbage on the beach. This experience teaches us that there are many people who do good work and try to make a change, thinking about creating a better environment for people. However, some people simply don't value the same and continue to live with negative thoughts and garbage around them, even though they know it is harmful to them. For some people with such a perception, you just can't do anything.

 

I recently visited one of the temples, where people come to worship from all over India, having faith in God. There is always so much rush that people literally bump and push each other. While doing darshan, they also exchange harsh words with each other. Some people are so authoritative that only their group should have darshan first, and then others can benefit. I met some of the priests who work inside the temple, taking care of the god's murti and its dressings. One of them mentioned, 'We are very lucky to get to do seva of Prabhu every day. However, sometimes, when we see the outside world, we also miss out on visiting certain places or pursuing new scientific fields. Various commitments don't allow us to do certain things. People like us perceive that we are always running around for everything, but, we are not fortunate like these priests, who find peace in doing Prabhu seva every day.

 

Individual perceptions towards life shape us with our experiences in various ways. Consistent positive and negative thoughts about life do matter, but how? There was once a person who was a great devotee of God. God was very pleased with his devotion and promised to always be with him. God said, 'I will walk alongside you, and you will always see me walking with you.' From that moment on, whenever the devotee walked, he saw two sets of footsteps - one was his own, and the other was God's. As time passed, the devotee encountered difficulties and faced tough times in life. During these challenging periods, he noticed that only one set of footsteps, his own, was visible during his walks. Despite this, he kept moving forward. Eventually, he overcame life's challenges and entered a better phase. During this time, he once again saw two sets of footprints in his imagination while walking.

 

Now, this devotee, having faith in God, felt upset and angry. He called out to God to answer some thoughts that were in his mind. He asked God, with confusion in his mind, 'When I had good times, I could see two steps ahead of me, and I could feel you were walking with me. Then, when I had bad times, I could see only one step, which means you disappeared when I needed you the most. And then, with difficulty, during good times, you came back. Why is it so?' God answered with a very beautiful smile and said, 'My dear devotee, when you had difficult times, I lifted you. I never made you walk or look down, so the one leg which you saw during difficult times was mine, not yours. So, I was always there with you as a guide. But you didn't notice my presence; it is your perception. Sometimes, even though we have bad experiences in life, our negative thoughts don't allow us to value the good things around us. And sometimes, even though we have bad experiences in life, if you see them with good, positive thoughts, we will develop gratitude towards life.

 

 Lord Krishna and Arjuna's conversation in the 7th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita also emphasizes the importance of valuing your experiences and positive thoughts in life over material things. Lord Krishna says, 'Those who believe in me and completely surrender to me, I am always there for them.' However, my experience tells me that there are many successful people in life who have a strong desire for earning name and fame. Some of them are confident and have a great educational background, but they sometimes get carried away by the external desires of life. So, even though they are successful, they fail to realize the value of my presence with them. There are very few people who can overcome all the desires of life and solely believe in the value of my presence. Arjuna, if you want to truly see me, you have to let go of all your desires and simply believe in your experience of being with me. Feel blessed and know that I am always there.'

Stories like these provide a real experience of God being around us; we just need to value His presence. In today's fast-paced world, this perception has often been left behind. People feel insecurity in everything and experience intense competition. Recently, I met two parents whose young boys are incredibly intelligent, but the peer pressure and expectations they face, both from themselves and their parents, create immense anxiety. During exam times, they both felt overwhelming anxiety and pressure, to the point where they had depression attacks. Their doctors prescribed depression medication so they could sit for exams. However, due to the pressure and decreased focus during exams, their scores suffered. This made it challenging for them to secure admissions, leading to various secondary issues. Additionally, their family members were also affected by this situation.

I just don't know where our insecurities will lead us. We are so preoccupied with thoughts of competition and placing value on other parameters like name, fame, and quick wealth that we often miss the true meaning and value of life. The glow, glamour, and money are often esteemed more highly than simplicity and an individual's inner potential and genuineness. The real facts of life and genuine experiences are right in front of our eyes, but they are often obscured by our negative thought processes, preventing us from seeing our own existence and the presence of God. My experience of positivity has led me to understand my own existence and the importance of helping those in need, as well as deciphering the messages given by God. What about all of you?