“Mom, why does the moon change everyday?”
“Come here. Our earth, this earth that we live on - goes round and round; the moon also moves in a circle around the earth. So we see a different moon everyday depending on where the moon is relative to our earth.”
“Uhm, okay”
Each of us has been that child and some of us have been that mother. When was the last time you questioned something crucial in your life?
Question! Curiosity! That’s what I want you to think about now, when you walk out of this room an hour later and every day of your life.
WHY Question?
Nobel laureate Bertrand Russell said – “In all affairs it's a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted.”
Russell was a British philosopher, mathematician, and above all an advocate for social reform and peace. Let me explain how he lived this axiom. Russell's first book, An Essay on the Foundations of Geometry, was heavily influenced by Immanuel Kant. Later he realized that the conception he had laid out made Albert Einstein's schema of space-time impossible, critical analysis made it clear to him that Einstein’s system was superior to his own. Thenceforth, he not only rejected the entire Kantian program but also maintained that his own work on the subject had no value.
What I want you to get out of this example is that change is life – we change physically and mentally throughout life. People, inanimate objects like the moon and the circumstances surrounding us – they all change! Given so much churn is it wise for us to assume that decisions that we made a month, a year or a decade ago still hold true??
WHAT Questions?
Gandhi said - You must be the change you want to see in the world.
During our younger years we ask, we learn, we assume and get influenced. A strong and confident voice does not develop inside of us till our 20s. This is the time to reevaluate dogmas and hand-me-down religions we inherited and put them in the context of our lives. We may find ourselves discarding certain principles while developing a strong belief in ideologies that we earlier followed robotically. Give a free rein to your voice -- taking the time to question life may be the best gift you give yourself.
Randy Komisar in his book “The Monk and the riddle” delves on the fact that life is momentary yet at some point we all loose track of this fact and start living with the intent of enjoying in the future. Why not simply enjoy the journey, live in the present? Po Bronson in his book “What should I do with my life” chronicles stories of 900 ordinary, non-famous people who extraordinarily changed their lives not by 90 but by 180 degrees. He does not throw any mantra or solution at you; rather he urges you to not dissuade your own calling. So think about the past, present and future. Connect the stars in the sky and you will see new dreams, plans and aspirations.
Questioned, now WHAT?
Shakespeare said “Strong reasons make strong actions.”
Once we start thinking we stop making excuses, avoiding problems and more or less we start realizing our faults and start resolving issues. Everything in life is a personal choice not chance, stars, God, parents’ or anyone’s fault – truly absorbing this can be a déjà vu.
In every situation, you always have a choice – think, take the right turn and rise to your full potential. Live life the way u were meant to live, go ahead give it your personal color for that’s the only way to leave this world with some sense of self contentment. Do something u always wanted to do – backpack across the world, write your own motorcycle diaries, learn how to swim, found a nonprofit; whatever it is that jump starts your engine, just do it!
Ever feel guilty about spending less time with your parents and kids? Make a change - they probably need you more than what the best hospitals and schools can offer.
As kids we pondered: Why is E=mc2?
As grownups how much time do we spend on introspection!!
“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” is also something Mahatma Gandhi said.
Fellow toastmasters – When you provide me feedback today or later by email, more than my presentation; tell me if u self-reflected, tell me if u were a bit more connected with yourself …. Thank You
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