“The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence”—- Rabindranath Tagore
Education is a life-long process. History is evident that the main purpose of education has been to develop values, skills and knowledge so as to help the individuals address the contemporary challenges and create a better society where there is peace and harmony for all.
But, are we sure that it is actually happening in the current times. Does being educated or highly qualified make us less anxious, does it make less angry or less vulnerable to sudden crisis.
Irrespective of our educational background, financial status or qualifications, we all tend to behave in the similar manner when faced by a crisis situation. Trivial things like an ATM running out of cash or a sarcastic comment by a colleague seems to ruin our day, let alone the other real crisis. It’s so easy for us to get stressed today.
The Human today has become so vulnerable that any trivial external thing can ruin the internal order of consciousness, and as result “STRESS” has become part and parcel of daily life.
But why is everyone so stressful? Why ?
Today, if we look around us….What do we see?
“Youngsters struggling and fighting to achieve their goals either to boost the ego of their family, or to settle in life as soon as possible and participate in the rat race, not to come first, but just to be a part of the huge confused crowd”….
“Middle age people already worried about saving enough for retirement, or stressed about settling their kids…getting them married….”
“Retired People worried how would they now live without job/enough money….if they would be lucky enough to see their grandchildren…..”
“Newly wed couple worried and making plans for next 20-25 years….calculating time/money/investments while trying their best to fit into the so called societal norms….”
“New parents worried about education of the child/ what the child should become in Future…..”
And the list is endless………………So, much of Stress around………..
But is it WORTH IT?
Have we set too high standards of happiness and peace for ourselves? “
Where is the loop-hole in the system?
What kind of a society are we heading towards?”
While it’s important that we plan our life and focus on our goals and work towards achieving them, but living under constant worry about the future ruins the present as well as the future.
It seems that we have all forgotten to live our lives blissfully. We seem to have forgotten that we are here on this earth for a limited time period.
I am definitely not against success, or having a goal in life. But, at the same time I do believe that stress kills us like slow poison. Caught up in a never ending race of societal norms and discontentment and worries, we build huge mountains of stress around us and then slowly turn ourselves into mechanical bots. We start living under an illusion and someday in future we will enjoy our lives.
But, honestly life doesn’t work that way. The faster one tries to move towards the goal post, worrying and speeding , the further the goal post also keeps moving and so practically, happiness or bliss always remains a distant and out of reach experience.
Life is contained in the present moment. ‘Now’ is all that we have.
Everything else can be handled and dealt with. No problem is bigger than life.
Life is limited and very uncertain.
Let us not miss the bliss of the present moment in a hurry to make too many plans for future…