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Coping With Life
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Life is a ride full of unexpected twists and turns. We can never expect things to go a specific way and we certainly cannot demand definitive outcomes in our future since we have no control over it. But one thing we can be certain of is that life will never be perfect; it holds for us happiness, difficulties, sadness, and uncertainties. The challenge is how to handle ourselves and live life with a positive attitude irrespective of all the pressures and changes. A wise lady once said, 'to fall down is a part of life, getting back up is living.' If we don't try to gain the maximum of our lives and leave a mark behind us, what good has our life been? |
We cannot control life just like we cannot control the changes in weather, places, time, our health and emotions. If we are not prepared for such changes then once they occur we fall in a state of despair, anxiety, emotional disability, and breakdown.
Today, we as human beings forget reality. We forget the truth. We forget the basic understanding of life that we are unable to control life and will never be able to avoid the negative situations. Irrespective of all the advancements, humans today are more disconnected with reality than ever before and are in a state of denial and heedlessness; we can also call it a state of blindness and a lie.
In order to fully grasp this thought, let's proceed step by step.
First step is the realization that we are human beings. We are a creation among many creations in this universe, and not the Creator. Regardless of where we are from and what belief we hold, we cannot deny this simple fact that we are humans, and thus limited.
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We are vulnerable in our very existence; we are born small and helpless, then we attain youth, middle age, and eventually become old and helpless again. We are also certain that regardless of when, where and how—sooner or later we will die. So, why are we here? What is the purpose of our lives? What does death mean? Is death really the end or is it the beginning of something new? Do you have the answers to these questions? Regardless of our understanding of our vulnerability, unpredictability of future, and our certainty of death, when we actually face death we panic, become miserable, and despair. |
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Why is that? Because in situations like these we truly realize that we have no control over fate which causes us to feel weak, unstable, anxious and worried. Most of us take success in life as our right and a result of our abilities. When we get what we want in life we feel secure, peaceful and successful. This causes us to be comfortable and relaxed—and eventually arrogant. This situation can last for some time until something happens that shakes us out of this state; it could be a natural disaster, disease, financial problem, major lifestyle difference or loss of loved ones. Because of our detachment from reality and our inability to view life as it really is we feel intense agony, misery, worry, fear and sometimes despair. It's all because we forget our vulnerability as humans and don't realize that none of these changes are in our control and there is nothing we can do about them. |
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Let's ask ourselves a question: What happens if we believe that we can control destiny and can plan the future? If we believe that then anytime we have an accident, natural, political, or financial disaster or any major change in life, we are unable to cope with the new reality of our lives, and fail. In truth, this constant change is the actual reality of life and it is normal. Weather changes, aging, death are all very normal occurrences of life. Even the natural disasters and wars are normal occurrences and we know they will happen. The problem arises when we believe that we are above these changes and somehow they will |
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We are drugged by the high speed life and its many fading attractions to the point we forget who we are, who is controlling our lives and our future, where we are headed, what is the purpose of our lives, what is death, and if there is any life after death. These are very simple questions yet majority of us have never even given them a thought. In this state of oblivion the norm appears abnormal and the abnormal appears to be the norm.
When we are young all our focus is on studies, physical fitness, securing a well paid job, getting a beautiful spouse, having children and a comfortable lifestyle. During all this we fail to ask ourselves the very basic yet essential questions mentioned above, and prepare ourselves for the inevitable.
Even if we manage to secure all the 'success' in life, a single stroke of fate, any accident, natural disaster, or illness can snatch it away from us in a spur of the moment. At such times when we are faced with the reality of life, all of our achievements become meaningless and in some cases a cause of increased emotional agony.
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So what is the purpose of major crisis? Who is responsible for allowing them to happen? And what messages and lessons are to be learned from them? We, humans, are supposed to be the most elevated creation on earth. We have the intellect, the ability to understand and comprehend, the power to communicate our emotions, thoughts and feelings, and the bond between each other in humanity. Once something happens we have to ask ourselves who allowed it to happen—since no action can happen without a doer. Even if we say natural force, where is it coming from? Who directed it? Who controls it? |
Why now? Why here? Why me?
Regardless of many researches people are unable to find answers. Because instead of questioning the owner, the orchestrator, the one who caused this calamity to happen, they ask each other and all they can come up with is conjecture, not the truth.
The truth is that by the display of immense force, the doer is manifesting His immense power. He wants us to know that He has the ultimate control and power over all things. He is telling us to wake up from our slumber and recognize our vulnerability and His glory.
Apply this to all facets of life. Any time events don't go as planned, if we surrender to the higher power controlling the events it will be easier for us to cope with the situation with dignity and honor.
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All crises, accidents, diseases, natural disasters—if you really look at them—have only one message for us as humans: You are not in control. I am in control. By this way, the first point is to wake up and think about what happened. Where is it coming from? Who allowed it to happen? And what is the message? A person has just two choices. He can either surrender and accept the changes in life with dignity, or resist and fight them. In both cases, he has no control over them and he cannot change the situation. Arrogance causes us to fight with the larger |
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Nature leaves us helpless and broken and exposes our true vulnerability. Regardless of the protective walls, sensors, accelerometers, alarms and other advanced technical gadgets, we cannot protect ourselves let alone prevent anything from happening. Sometimes, it's these widgets that make us arrogant and we feel infallible. The natural disasters almost seem like the divine power is challenging our intellect and questioning our reliance on man-made equipment. The more advanced our technology becomes, the more disastrous the natural events get that render all our state-of-the-art preparations almost obsolete.
The purpose is to develop humbleness and humility within ourselves and recognize that nothing happens by itself; someone has to generate it down to the date and time.
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When we receive a letter or a message, we know someone has written it and addressed it to us. We don't question the origin of the letter regardless of its content. Consider the natural phenomena unfolding around us as a letter from the Higher Deity, the originator of the heavens and the earth. Instead of worrying about and exhausting ourselves over how to prepare for an inevitable calamity, if we prepare our hearts and souls to accept the Owner of everything, not only will He make it easy for us to handle, He can change the course of events for us. |
Any natural phenomenon that we look at—orbits, galaxies, earth, biology, physics, chemistry, agriculture—everything in nature is living in a perfect harmonious system. This brings us to one certainty (given that we are humble and open minded): there is one creator!
We have forgotten the most basic and essential concept of our humanity—we are a creation completely submitted to the Creator, whether willingly or unwillingly.
Any humble person should question why the Creator has created me and what does He want from me.
With this simple question we can start a journey of healthy inquiry that can lead us to the comprehension and understanding of the unknown.
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I invite you to humble yourself, and remember that as human beings we are very limited. With all our resources and abilities we tend to forget our limitations; and once in a while we get hit with reality, a situation which makes us paralyze, puts us in a corner and makes us question our very existence; and this is what it is all about. Think about your vulnerability, contemplate the purpose of your existence, and seek knowledge of the Creator. He is the One who is in control of everything to the point we don't even have control over our own bodies. If any disruption to our bodily system like minor |
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Any disaster is simply a wake-up call from the Creator. He wants us to recognize Him, believe in Him, worship Him, show gratitude to Him, and believe without a doubt that we need Him in our lives.
Hidden among the suffering are the greatest blessings—the chance and ability to receive peace, tranquility, and happiness that no gadgets can provide. Life is real with all its suffering and pain, and so is death. The comfortable world that we have created for ourselves is illusionary and fake. Now is the time to decide what we prefer—real or fake. Because it is our preference that will lead us to perform actions, and it is our actions that will decide our ultimate abode.
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