Nature's Balance 

I read somewhere that you don’t have to be a workaholic to be successful. It is said that balance is not something you find, but something you create. To be successful, you can balance your mental and physical health first, then balance your family and professional life, and finally balance your desires and ambitions. We, as human beings with powerful thinking brains, have learned that being successful means having a lot of money and fame, which is not true. Being balanced means finding purpose in this universe with a balanced mind, heart, and soul. This statement is very difficult to follow today in such a fast-paced and scientifically revolutionized world. However, when I visited a safari and saw animals and birds that don’t have brains like ours and don’t have any exposure to the outside world, I noticed how well they balance within the world they have around them. I felt that animals and birds are the best creatures in this universe who understand nature's balance. Maybe because of that, they don’t face natural calamities like us, and even if they do, they know how to overcome them.

In one of the religious books I read, it stated that God has endowed the species present in this universe with special features to balance nature. For example, the elephant, with its heavy weight, can consume large amounts of food from trees, while a small dog must find a feed of rotis from different houses. Birds can build their own nests in trees and survive by flying to find food, with some birds, like eagles, needing to hunt for their meals. The beautiful giraffe doesn’t need to stress for food as its tummy easily gets filled with the grass all around it. The Almighty has created a beautiful balance in nature for animals, birds, and other small creatures, and over the years, this balance has not changed and will not change. For instance, if a lion, the king of the jungle, has the best possible prey in front of him but is full, he will not make a single attempt to attack the prey to have it in reserve. He is very satisfied with nature's balance. Similarly, look at sea animals; no matter how stormy the waves, they know how to survive and balance themselves in the tumultuous sea.

How satisfied are we as humans with nature's balance? First, we need to get oxygen from trees to maintain good breathing, but what are we doing? We are cutting down trees to improve our facilities and make more space for ourselves. Will this work in the long run? Every tree present in this universe has value to add. The animals and birds I saw in Africa are so happy with the vast expanses of grasslands they have, and they don’t have to fight for their survival. Even humans living in Africa value the animals and birds, and having forest land also helps them breathe better. In Africa, illness is very rare, and hospitals are not numerous, but the people use their free time in bad vices, leading to a higher death rate due to bad habits. The animals are maintaining good nature's balance, but what about humans?

We deal with many hearing-impaired children and meet numerous parents. There are certain communities and families who have two or three hearing-impaired children. Genetic studies show that they may have hearing-impaired children, but they still choose to have more. This could lead to a larger community of deaf individuals, increasing our liability and the need for more support to help them. Despite having intelligent brains capable of thinking critically, many people still believe in myths and misconceptions, continuing actions that are not necessary. Who will make a change? Awareness is very much needed to create balance in every aspect of life. Hearing impairment is just one type of disability and difficulty; there are many other areas of imbalance that need to be addressed.

Recently, there is a huge craze among youngsters to achieve good fitness, with the belief that only a slim body is presentable, only branded clothes can make them look beautiful, and only cool accessories for their phones or daily life are worthwhile. Just as every animal is made differently to maintain nature's balance, every human is unique. Individuals need to follow a physical diet or mental balance depending on their own requirements, but what we are doing is just going with the flow, imitating what others are doing. How can balance be established this way? I love the statement, "Life is a balance between holding on and letting go."

Recently, I have heard that many people, especially those between the ages of 40 to 60, are losing their lives post-pandemic. This is the time when everyone is in the rat race of being successful. They want to earn, learn, travel, and acquire many more facilities to establish themselves in life. However, in doing so, we forget that alongside working, we need to spend time with family. We need to fulfill our individual desires and look after our physical and mental health. The more we enjoy each and every moment of life, doing what we like, the more the Almighty will help us balance our nature. I feel balance is only found when you have stability at the center of acceptance.

A very wise man says that if you know your possibilities and limitations in every aspect—be it education, work, traveling, relationships, or social connections—then wisdom and balance arise. For a child who has limitations in mental and physical health, expecting them to fly or meet unrealistic expectations is not possible. However, if you provide opportunities within their potential, they can do their best and balance their mental and physical health in the best possible manner. Balancing nature around us and balancing our individual nature is equally important.

My positivity helps me balance my nature. The best balance strategy was explained by Lord Krishna to Arjuna when he was not ready to fight against his own people. To uphold dharma, we sometimes need to go against our own perceptions to balance our nature. This means not just going with the flow but maintaining your own sense of balance based on what is needed. Another example is Lord Krishna, who, despite being a king, went to meet Sudama on his own without worrying about what people would say. Draupadi lost her five children but did not seek revenge against those who harmed her. According to our Almighty, it is humbleness, kindness, honesty, and truth that best help maintain our nature balance.