Publication date:23rd Mar2010
Author:EA Mwamafupa
At some level many of us know that without struggles we wouldn't be able to grow stronger.As metaphor for our challenge and hurtful expiriences leading us to personal strength.I envite you to consider the story of a monarch butterfly.The monarch can fly further than any other butterfly often going from one continent to another.However it strength to fly great distances does not come without struggle.
The transition from caterpillas to butterfly is exhausting.The monarch has to break free of its cocoon by constantly pushing its wings into the wall of it shelter.Eventually after prolonged effort the butterfly frees itself from the cocoon.
But what if seeing the creature struggling you feel pity and decide to open a cocoon for it,as result that butterfly will not fly.It is the tremendous struggle in breaking open its cocoon that strengthen the monarch wings so much that it can fly from one continent to another.During the time in its cocoon the monarch butterfly may have no awareness of the purpose of its pain and struggles.Their are always great fruits for struggling and hustling in life as the monarch you may never know the reason behind your struggling so just do it like Nike.TTFN
To be swayed by your fluctuating thoughts and impulses is to be weak and powerless;to rightly control and direct those forces is to be strong and powerful.Men of strong animal passions have much ferocity of a beast,but this is not power.The element of power are there;but it is only when this ferocity is tamed and subedued by a higher intelligence that the real power begins;and men can only grow in power by awakening themselves to higher and ever higher states of intelligence an consciousness.
The difference between a man of weakness and one of power lies not in strength of the personal(for the stubborn man is usually weak and foolish),but in that focus of conscousness which represent their states of knowledge which give calance,stability and influence;the knowledge of principal which lover of excitement and victims of impulse and hysterical emotion lack.
The man that is governed by self,and not by a principle,changes his front when his selfish comforts ar threatened.He is continually sbheming as to how he may protect himself against his enemies,being too self-centered to perceive that he is his own enemy.
The man that stands upon a principle is the same calm, dauntless, self-possessed man under all circumstances. Even the prospect of torture and death cannot alter or deter him.The man of self regards the loss of his wealth, his comforts,or his life as the greatest calamities which can befall him. The man of principle looks upon these incidents as comparatively insignificant,and not be weighed with the loss of character,loss of truth which is the great calamity.
It is easy for a man,so long as he is left in the enjoyment of his possessions,to persuade himself that he believes and adheres to the principle of peace,brotherhooe,and univerral love;but if, when his enjoyments ar threatened,or he imagines they ar threatened,he begins to clomor loudly for war,he show that he believes in and rtand upon not peace brotherhood and love,but strife,selfishness, and hatred.He who does not desert his principle when threatened with the loss of every earthly thing, even the loss of reputation and life,is the man of power.Jesus endured the most extremity oe agony and deprivation he stand for his principle love and peace to all mankind;
To grow in self-control, in patience,in equa-nimity,is to grow in strength and power;and you can only thus grow by focusing your consciousness upon a principle.You must enter the way of power by first attempting to stand alone.Break away from the tyranny of custom,tradition and the opinions of others ,untill you succed in walking lonely and erect amongst men.Rely upon your own judgement;be true to your ow conscience;follow the light that is within you.There ll be those who ll try to disapoint you,dont give them a chance an pursue your course bravery until you find a rock of principle,on which you ll cling,put it under your feat and stand erect upon it,until at last,immovably fixed upon it,you succeed in defying the fury of the waves and storms of selfishness.
Tomorrow is my birthday.As usual on that fine morning cards will come through the inbox to remind me that am 21 with wishes of fortune and good health which ll make me think that it's time to settle down,look after my health,'put aside childish things',took life more queitly-and accept the fact.
But is it a fact?'What nonsense!'Birthdays don't mean a thing unless you give them a meaning.The great German psychologist,George Groddeck,'the wild analyst' as he called himself,was wiser. He points out that in the course of a single day,any day,at one moment you are a baby,at another an adult,or teanager,or senior citizen.This apply to the so called young as well as to the adult.Just notice how you feel,how you act,how you think,how you speak in one short hour,and you ll see how you leap from one part of time scale to another without any intemediate stage.
So don't just classify yourself with the 'has been' and leave it at that:if yov do,your imagination,your self image,will see to it that you are indeed old.
People have a saying 'be your age!'But how can you,if your age keeps varrying as Groddeck says,and as you know is true?If 'be your age' means acting like an old man or women then it's sheer suicidal stupidity.if it means merely 'dress suitably to your age'why not simply say that?
One women as result of an emotional shock,she lost her reason and still for many years believed herself to be a very young women.As result she kept her youthful look!
What is your picture of old age?Rigidity?The loss of mobility;stiff joints;fixed opinions;the loss of the fullness and the savour of life?You know very well you dont want these things.Why, then,do so many of us calmly accept them.
There are psychological explanations for our passivity,our negative attitudes.But that does not mean we need always acquiesce,why we should deliberately put ourselves on the side of the side of the enemy.Try fighting him.
Something has gone wrong with you physically?Don't just say 'it my age',see a doctor about it.Do what he tells you.
Try asking yourself a few questions, and ket us try to find better answers to them.
1.AM I USING MY AGE AS AN EXCUSE?
There are so many things in full life that ask for little effort.There is in every one of us 'a lazy streak' that doesnot like effort and does not like having to adapt to changed circumstances,even to seize opportunities. That lazy streak is always for an excuse to opt out of things that call for that effort.And what better excuse can it find than age?
Many pathetic old people can be found,pathetic just because they have availed themselves of that excuse.
As Ben Sweetland tells us:
'age and an idle mind go hand in hand.An active mind is youth mind.And a youthful mind will keep your body younger much younger than if you dwel on thoughts of age,which you ll do unless,unless your mind is occupied with a constructive thoughts.So if you ar refusing life on pretext of your age,make quite sure that your not using your age as an excuse.
AM I USING MY YEARS AS AN EXCUSE TO LET MY BODY GO TO PIECES?
It is so easy to sit in a chair and watch the telly, for instance,and let your muscle grow stiff with too long sitting in one position.Perhaps you feel you have a right to sit still or to lie in bed after all those year of hard work?But do not use moderation even here.You must have heard of those fakirs who out of mistaken piety hold a limb in one position for so long that muscles atropy stay rigidy evermore.Perhaps you condemn them for the folly which you are also doing.
I am not stggesting that you should suddenly take up weight lìfting or boxing,but you can see to it that your muscles get sufficient use and are regularly streched and flexed an relaxed so as to keep them supple.
Try to stand tall-walk tall and think tall.Gravity is always trying to pull you down towards the ground,dont let it have it way
"It is not how long,but how well we live."
"Older people often express their sense of personal inadequacy through condemnation of the younger generation-whether for its lack of morals,or thrift,or devotiön to duty " -Dr.Smiley Blanton:TTFN
"Curiosity is one of the characteristics of a vigorous intelect"
We live in a world of increasing wönders of one sort and another extent that we tend to take them all very much for granted and become rather blase for them.
Let us learn really to notice things and people,like these humble anonymous insects i noticed yesterday on the Mango tree situated at our college,to be aware of our surroundings in a way we are all too often not aware of them.This awareness is the first step towards wonder.Al Koran,in his book Bring Out the Magic in Your Mind writes,'The first thing is to see things,not just to notice them.Observe,really observe.How long is it since you saw such insects?How much have you been missing?
These insects form a fraction of the wönder about us in the world,in things,in people.Ponder sometimes the very wonder of being alive.Share with the writer of Psalm in the Bible the feeling of being fearfully and wonderful wrought.Move your finger and contemplate all the wonder that is envolved in that simple action.Pause and think of the rheer miracle in human eye.Look at a flower and see the wonder there.
Indeed-it is well worth while spending a few wonder moments'every day-simply selecting some common object near at hand,thinking about it analysing its very being,noticing about it without it something you have never noticed before,seeing it and seeing into it.This Proces gives a completely new dimension to life,a ne exhilaration in living.
It is particulary worth watching little children and the wonder with which they regard things. This is one of the capacities which,sadly ,we sometimes seem to lose as we grow older,taking everything for granted and missing the wonder which is to be found in commonplace.To recorver this sense of wonder is one of the secrets of happy satisfying living.We are far too busy,too much under pressure caught up in a rat race of getting time to stand and stare and so to drink something of the sheer wonder of life and being.
DON'T think that the people you like are always right.
DO recognize that when we like people it is human to be prejudiced in their favour.Of course we should also allow for the fact that there could be something to be said for the other side.
DON'T think you have to say something because everybody else is talking.
DO recognize the value of listening and holding your tongue until you are sure of what you want to say.Think well before you join in arguments and discussions,especially when these are becoming heated and emotional.
DO recognize that,right or wrong,people have to decide for themselves,and that you can undo any good you may have done by getting cross with them
DON'T ever think to tell people what other people have said about them.
DO recognize how unfair it is to repeat what somebody may have said on impulse or at a moment of irritation or disappointment.Left alone,these matters will usually sort themselves out given time.
DON'T think that being a peace-maker means interfering and lecturing people.
DO recognize the value of example.Show people you like them and you are sorry and hurt when they ar hurting one another.
DONT think that because you feel strongly and sympathize you always have to become actively involved.
DO recognize how it can help to remain calm and detached. People are more likely to listen ,and then it may be possible to persuade them to settle their differences,or agree to differ,and part better friends.
The ideas of this article were inspired by life in SJCET
