Your Presence is Your Power...

 

Your Presence is Your Power...

Your presence is your power. I would like to narrate one small incident here. My mother had come to visit me, and during that time, our drawing teacher was visiting us too. We had decided to learn something new together, so both of us were painting. As soon as my mother entered the room, I invited her to join us. She immediately said, "I am old. I have never done this before. How can I do it?" We encouraged her to give it a try. With a smile, she finally agreed. To her own surprise, she created such beautiful artwork that she couldn't believe it herself. More importantly, she truly enjoyed the experience. It made me realise that whenever life presents us with something new or challenging, we often step back because we assume we cannot do it. But when we decide to give our best in that moment, everything slowly falls into place. My mother later said something beautiful: "My presence in this moment, with positivity, is my power. It was always within me. I just never searched for it." In life, one mindful moment has the power to change everything if we truly experience it.

Today, whatever is happening around us reminds us that there are so many issues at the ground level and at an individual level that need our attention. We must look at them with responsibility and a positive attitude. Examination papers get leaked. Students are committing suicide. Unnecessary violence affects innocent people. Every day, we hear about another disturbing incident. Where are we heading as a society? A child who should be enjoying education until stepping into the professional world is instead growing up under the burden of peer pressure, parental pressure and societal pressure. Is this the future we want to create?

Parents, who should be nurturing their children with love and good values so they can enjoy watching them grow into responsible adults, are instead losing them to depression, suicide, crime or the temptation of making quick money through unethical means. Today, committing a crime almost appears fashionable to some. As a society, we need to stop glorifying crime by making it viral on social media. Every time we mindlessly share such content, our presence silently suggests that we are willing to accept it. Instead, let our presence become a force that promotes kindness, responsibility and positive change.

Our existence in this universe has a purpose. We are meant to live with freedom, celebrate life and enjoy the power of our presence. Instead, many of us are moving towards a life filled with fear. We constantly think, "What if I fail? What if I lose something? What if I am not successful?" So, we either avoid taking action or simply go with the flow without understanding the consequences. Rather than analysing where we are going wrong as individuals or as parents and working towards improvement, we often choose the easier path of following the outside world. Real growth begins only when we pause, reflect and take responsibility for our own lives.

Working with hearing-impaired children has taught me one of life's greatest lessons. Losing one sense does not stop anyone from achieving greatness. Although they may not always fit easily into mainstream society, their attitude, determination and power of presence inspire me every single day. They always find a way to create their own identity, even in difficult situations. I have learnt so much from them. They have taught me that we should all practise the power of pause—pause before we assume, pause before we accuse, pause before reacting emotionally and pause before making decisions. That one pause can save us from a lifetime of regret. I mention this specifically because I have rarely seen a special child allowing emotional disturbance to push them towards suicide or crime. Their resilience reminds us that inner strength is far more powerful than external limitations.

Recently, I was reading a religious book which beautifully explained how the Almighty created this universe. The sky and the earth came into existence. Water filled the universe. Darkness was replaced with light, creating day and night. The planets, rivers, oceans, seasons and stars were all created with purpose and perfect balance. Animals and birds were created to maintain nature's harmony. Finally, human beings were created in His own image so that we could live, celebrate and enjoy this beautiful universe. Sometimes I wonder if the Almighty is looking at us today and asking, "What are you doing with the beautiful world I created for you?"

The power of presence in this universe is one of the greatest blessings gifted to us by the Almighty. Nature has already provided us with everything we truly need—air, water, breath and the ability to think. Unfortunately, through ignorance, negligence and our careless behaviour, we have polluted not only our environment but also our thoughts. Who should we blame? The Almighty for not paying attention to us, or ourselves for failing to value His priceless gifts? Perhaps the greatest blessing He gave us was not just life itself, but the power to think, choose wisely and create a better world through our actions.

To understand the true power of presence, we must first understand ourselves. We need to help ourselves before expecting the world to change. Every individual should ask, "Why am I here? What is the purpose of my life? Am I contributing through constructive actions or destructive behaviour?" Our body is our temple, our spirit is the traveller and our consciousness is the path. Our life is in our own hands. It does not come with a remote control. We have to get up and change it ourselves. I have already started trying. What about you?