To Live Is What It Called

LIFE

I think the above few words have put a question mark in your mind aboutwhat the hell this topic is about. To all your puzzles, I will like to justify thatit's all about what you do every day and what you are going to do in the restof your life. Yes, you read it correctly. LIFE. This single word may welcome athousands of thoughts to your mind. You know what life is, don't you?Ohh...everyone knows it. You will think what that important life is, it's sosimple. In defining life, you will say, it is the thing which makes us alive,makes us do every day's work, etc. But if I will ask you what really life is andwhat its purpose is, what the philosophy of life is, then most of you willfumble with your answers. You will now defend that why to know all this, weare not going to appear any philosophy test. But if I will say, it will changeyour perceptions about life, then? So let's get into an interesting story toknow the actual meaning of life.There was a time when most of the humans lived peacefully. The sins wereconfined with a few. Yes, I am talking about some period in the medieval era.In one of the many villages in India, lived a very wise man, who was highlyrespected by all due to his immense intellectual and opinions on a variedsubjects. People came to him with their problems to seek some good adviceand never returned empty-handed. With so many high qualities, the manhad ironically a son who was perfectly antonym to his father. The lazy ladwhisked all his time eating, sleeping or enjoying with his friend in some nonsenseactivities.No amount of threats or advice made any changes in his attitude. As theyears passed, the wise man grew old and got more worried about his son'sfuture. He realised that he had to do something really essential for his son totake care of himself and his family. So one day he called his only son andsaid. "My son, you are grown up now, you need to understand life and takeyour responsibilities by yourself now. You have to wake up and wake yoursoul too."Amazed by his father's sudden anxiety his son said, "Father, you havealways been by my side to guide me in every step of my life so far, how will iever manage without you...I will be so lost like a chick without the hen."His father drew him close, hugged him and said, "I want you to find the realpurpose of your life and once you get it, keep it in mind always and you willlead a life full of happiness and joy." The son was greatly amused, whatcould be this important lesson that could cure all his problems in future, hewondered!The next day, his father gave him a bag. The son was greatly surprised as heopened the bag, and to his surprise it had 4 pair of clothes, one for eachseason, some raw food, grains, lentils, some money and a map. As he askedwhat he was supposed to do with the stock, his father declare. "I want youto go find a treasure. I have drawn a map of the place that will lead to thehidden treasure. The only thing you need to do is to go and find it."Aha, so this is what father was referring to earlier, the real purpose of mylife is to find this treasure that will solve all my problems in future, the sonthought to himself, greatly pleased at the idea. His pleasure met no bounds.Because, when on earth everyone is after peace and success, he had got theright key to the both. He had just to go and grab the chest and everythingwould be so straight for him in the future.The next day, he set out early on his journey eager to find the mysticaltreasure. The place described in the map was far away and the obstacleswere kinky. He had to cross many rivers, forests, plateaus, and mountainsto reach his destination. He prayed he would meet his father, when hereturned to show him his findings. He set out on his travel, days, weeks andmonths passed, as he moved further, he met a lot of varied people on theway, some helped him with food, and some offered him shelter. Thieves wereno exceptions, who tried to cheat him and rob him of his belongings. As hemoved through landscapes, slowly the season changed...fall gave way towinter and spring led to summer.When the weather got harsh, he would pause his journey for some time andagain set out moving towards his destination continuously. Caring fornobody and nothing he rushed towards his goal, determined to reach beforeanyone else. The hunger for the treasure was such that he had forgottenabout his health and his real hunger for food.Finally after a long year, the non-stop journey came to an end when hefinally reached the cliff below which his father had mentioned. He spottedthe tree, as described on the map and started looking around it, and hesearched and searched, but found nothing. Praying god he sat under thetree thinking what to do next. He spent two days looking and digging for thetreasure around that tree. The hot scorching summer had drained every bitof water from him. But he tried his level best to get the precious chest. Butto his bad fortune he came up from the dug area only with the shovel hehad. Exhausted with himself and the two days weary hard work, he decidedto go back on the third day.Tired and devastated by his father's lie, he headed back home. On his wayback, he experienced the same changing landscapes and seasons. But thistime he stopped to wonder the blooming of flowers when the spring came,the birds dancing in the falling rain. He witnessed glorious sunsets andrevelled in peaceful summer evenings. He learned to hunt for his own food,sew his own clothes and protect himself from the harsh weather. He learnedto calculate the time of the day with the suns position and plan his journeyaccordingly. He also learned how to protect himself from wild animals andharmful plants and herbs.He met the same people who had helped him on his way, this time hestopped and spend some days with them to help them with their chores toshow his gratitude. He realized how wonderful they were in their sense oftrying to help the passers-by on that route without any expectations inreturn.When he reached home, he realized he had been out of his house for 2 yearsnow. He went straight to his father's room and was relieved to see himresting. He walked up to him and slowly whispered to him, "father", carefulnot to disturb him in his sleep. The wise man opened his eyes, he got up ashe saw his son and embraced him."So how was your journey my son? Did you find the treasure" He asked."The journey was fascinating father," The son quipped "but forgive mefather, as i have disappointed you, I could not find any treasure, at the placedescribed in the map. Maybe somebody took it before I reached." He wassurprised at his own answer that instead of getting angry he was asking forhis father's forgiveness. His father smiled and signalled him to sit down on achair next to him."That is because there was no treasure at that place my son." He answeredsmiling."But why did you send me to find it then." His son asked."I will surely tell you why, but first you tell me, how was your journey whenyou were going to find the treasure. Did you enjoy the varying landscapes,experience living out there on your own amidst new people and changingseasons, did you make good friends on the way?" The wise man asked."Of course not father, I was not distracted for a second, I had no time to doall that since I was always focused on reaching my destination as soon aspossible before anybody else and get the treasure. I had no time toexperience the landscape, the weather or to make any friends. But yes I didall this on my way back. I must admit I really enjoyed my journey back, Ilearned many new skills and mastered the art of survival, so much so, that Iforgot the pain of not finding the treasure."His father held his hand and said "Exactly my son, you wanted to know howto lead life and find your goals...but if you lead your life going after a goal onthis journey called life, you miss out the real treasures on the way becauseyou are so focused on finding the goal. When the truth is that life has nogoal at all, other than to just live it and grow with it each day."...Now, that I had completed the story, I expect that you must have grabbedsomething about the sense of life. Life is all about to enjoy every moment,gather as much experience as you can from each happenings. Not just thatyou have only to achieve a goal in your whole life, it's about how you achieveit and under what circumstances. As it is said by a wise man, NEVER GETSO BUSY IN MAKING A LIVING THAT YOU FORGET TO MAKE A LIFE.It's sad that most of the people in today's competitive world had forgotten tolive happily. They don't have time to spend with their families and friends.Their minds have been controlled by the word SUCCESS and MONEY thatthey even have no time chill out with families. Our lives have now soscrewed up with goals and ambitions that we have become bookworms. Wespend lot of hours digging our faces in the books and mugging them up. Butwhat is the value of such studies when one don't have skills to utilise it inreal life. The so called money-minded world has a negative impact on today'sstudents and the country's future, forcing them to fly to other countries withhigh currency value to earn out of bounds. They don't even think what theirown society has done for them. They are so lost in their ambition, success,money that they forget about their duties towards their country and theirown parents.What is the value of money if it snatches away all our happiness? Have youever imagined how much tension the rich ones carry everyday? Their dreamsare all about to increase their wealth day by day and reach to the top. Theydon't even have time for their children. Their whole life is spent in chasingfor success and money. I am not telling that you shouldn't go for success ormoney, you must but at the same time don't forget to live your life and makelive your acquaintances happily. This is what we must live for, HAPPINESS.This is your life, the life you have get after many deaths. Live it according toyour will. Do what is good for soul, do what gives you internal peace. Listento the elders, great personalities, but don't follow them. Make your ownpath, enjoy your journey of life. Because it's your life, make it large. Don'tjust stick to your academics, the whole world is waiting for you. Enjoy everymoment, who knows whether you will get the moment again or not, whetheryou will get this life again or not. Who knows, if tomorrow will ever come ornot.Live the present and leave the future. Be adventurous. Take risk, makememories. Because in the end neither the degrees nor the money bring yousmile but the good and sweet memories will.Because,THIS IS LIFE, TO LIVE IS WHAT IT CALLED...

SURJEET PARIDA

paridasurjeet@gmail.com

+91 7008359543

@surjeet_parida