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Stress
is a major determinant of depressive disorders -
the fourth largest cause of disease world wide.
It has impact into our social and family
relationships. I guess a large number of people
appear to be at risk. According to latest
research it is expected to rank second by 2020,
behind only heart disease. Work-related stress
is likely to contribute to "metabolic syndrome",
a cluster of pathogenic mechanisms characterised
by an accumulation of abdominal fat, a decrease
in sensitivity to insulin, increased level of
cholesterol, and heightened blood pressure, all
related to the heart and diabetes. One should
try to live each day to its fullest capacity,
for we have but one chance to prove its worth.
When today is gone, it is gone and there is no
turning back time. Today will then become yet
another yesterday from which there should be no
regrets. For when tomorrow comes, we should be
excited for the mystery that is about to unfold,
not filled with remorse for the past.
Most of my personal happiness comes from
accomplishing goals such as writing and
traveling. One of the great things about my
leisure time is to write and the freedom to
travel and explore new parts of the world with
my wife and children. I am doing all these
things for which there is absolutely no price
tag. Several people I know with vast resources
but hardly any quality time left for enjoyment
with their family. Knowing life is a singularity
- intensifies everything. What you do in this
short life can not be undone. We have not come
here to live forever. The challenge is to get it
right the first time, because it is the only
opportunity one will ever have. "Successes and
Failures" will be with us the day we die. It is
incredibly
empowering to realize that, with but one life,
we dare not miss anything. We are the makers and
shapers of our individual destinies, not chance.
The other day, a friend of mine made a wise and
everlasting impression on me:
"Life in itself is an empty canvas,
it becomes whatsoever you paint on it.
You can paint misery, you can paint bliss.
This freedom is your glory".
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Comments: |
The author is a fortunate man. Not
only is he blessed with bread on his
plate, he is blessed with a close
knit loving family. On top of all
that, the most important thing he is
blessed with is his outlook on life
which helps him enjoy it.
Miserable are those who are born
into poverty (e.g. the poor of the
developing nations). More miserable
are those who are not only born into
poverty but also born into strife (eg
poor people living in war torn
regions.) The worst and the most
miserable are those, however, who
have a bread on their plates, have a
loving family, but are always trying
to catch up with their imagined
mirage of affluence embodied in
someone else who they think they
need to catch up with. Burning in
this green fire of envy and
jealousy, they live lifelong
hankering for something or the other
which becomes meaningless the moment
they acquire it. They become
critical and negative in this bitter
struggle that keeps shifting away
from them like a mirage. It turns
out that it is not material wealth
that they seek, it is contentment,
which keeps slipping out of their
hands the more they hanker after
material wealth.
A materialistic wealthy millionaire
from the Western World was once
visiting India. He was curious about
the sages of India and wanted to
meet one. His contacts located a
sage and he went over to visit him.
The sage lived in a bare one room
house. There was no furniture. The
millionaire had to sit on the floor
as he waited for the sage to return
from somewhere. He was very
unimpressed and was getting ready to
leave when the sage returned. "Where
is your furniture, Guruji ?" Asked
the millionaire. "Well, where is
yours ?" the swami asked in return.
The millionaire looked puzzled,
"Well, guruji, I am just passing
through", he said. The sage smiled
and said, "Son, so am I."
A very good article by the author. I
enjoyed reading it. Thanks! -
Aarcee - Feb. 22, 2007 |
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