PUNCTUALITY

 

          PUNCTUALITY

            Punctuality is the happening or doing of events at the fixed or arranged time. Nature observes strict punctuality. The sun rises and sets at its fixed time. The moon, too, observes punctuality. We have seasons beginning and ending at their scheduled time. The rotation of the earth is also perfectly punctual. Its unpunctuality even by a fraction of a second can cause incalculable havoc.

            Unfortunately, many human beings don’t observe punctuality in their daily routine concerning their personal, domestic, business, occupational and recreational time. Some of them follow the proverb :Better late than never.

            Unpunctuality is a bad habit. It is harmful. It affects adversely not one who is unpunctual but also others who expect punctuality and cannot cope with its violation.

            Unpunctuality causes anger, irritation, impatience, provocation, breach in relationship, loss of opportunity, material or any other kind of damage.  

Unpunctual people miss  participation in rare interviews, important, engagements  precious appointments .

            In some cases those who are late have to pay fines or undergo other punishments in their places of employment.  

            Better late than never is not a good rule in all the private or official duties      .

            Some opinions about punctuality are worth honouring without any hesitation. These are: (a). Want of punctuality is want of virtue. (b). Better be three hours too soon than one minute too late. (c).  Better late than never is not half so good a maxim as “better never late.”  (d). The most indispensable virtue of a cook is punctuality. The same must be said of guests.

            Finally, this short but admirable quote: Punctuality is the art of showing respect to yourself and to others.

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G.R.Kanwal

6^th November 2024

 

 

 

         

WALKING

 

          WALKING

            Walking mean going by foot, travelling on foot, strolling, sauntering, ambling,  plodding , trudging, hiking, tramping, trekking, marching, striding and wending one’s way.

            Humans are said to have come into this world for a walk, for a short, not a long time.

            A newborn child is unable to walk but as soon as it is one year old walking starts.

            Walking is natural, so is running, riding and climbing. Sitting and lying, too, are natural and essential but are variable companions of walking.

            Those who do not walk fail to maintain good health.  Walking for half an hour or longer is a key to good health and long life. Some experts advise five minutes of walking after every  hour’s of continuous sitting.

            The convenient time for waling depends on the convenience of the individual concerned. However, morning and evening hours are considered best.

            Benefits of walking include ---better digestion, better cardiovascular health, weight management, stronger bones and muscles, better creative thinking, diabetes control, healthy blood pressure, improved sleep, environmental friendliness and commendable social life.

            Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) maintained good health by long walks when he was in London during his youthful days.

            The Indian writer Mulk Raj Anand (1905-2004) has said in one of his English novels : walking is a spiritual exercise.

            And this is what the English novelist Charles Dickens (1812-1870) has written somewhere: Walk and be happy; walk and be healthy. The best way to lengthen out our days is to walk steadily and with a purpose. The wandering man knows of certain ancients, far gone in years, who have staved off infirmities and dissolution by earnest walking---hale fellows, close upon ninety, but brisk as boys.

Finally, this short but meaningful quote: The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

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G.R.Kanwal

5^th November 2024

SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT COURAGE

 

          SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT COURAGE

Courage is defined as bravery, valour, gallantry, heroism, fearlessness, pluck, boldness, daring, dauntlessness, hardihood, mettle, fortitude and determination.   

A few antonyms of courage are : fear, fright,  cowardice, fearfulness, timidity, gutlessness, faintheartedness and chickenheartedness,

Courage is indispensable for most of the actions we have to do. Without it we cannot cross even a road, climb a mountain, handle a hooligan, face our opponent or enemy, deal with challenging difficulties and dangers.

Even birds and beasts need courage. The lion is the most courageous animal. A hawk is one of the boldest birds.

Courage gives us strength, confidence, hope, inspiration, enthusiasm,  boldness and heroism to deal with all sorts of difficult activities and situations of life.

Courageous people do not care for cosequences. They go ahead with all sorts of adventures. They are heroic, daring, resolute, determined and indomitable. Their stamina is highly commendable.

The English clergy Caleb C. Colton (1780-1832)  says : Physical courage which despises all danger, will make a man brave in one way; and moral courage, which despises all opinion, will make a man brave in another. The former would seem most necessary for the camp; the latter for the council; but to constitute a great man both are necessary.

  Whatever a person does as hazardous duty, aim, or mission of his life needs courage.  The degree of courage differs among heroes.  A nation’s army needs most courageous soldiers.

Don’t be surprised if you are told that even teachers, politicians, writers, poets and newsmen need courage to speak the truth.

Finally, this short quote: Courage without conscience is a wild beast.

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G.R.Kanwal

4^th November 2024  

 

 

 

LOVE AS A VALUE

 

          LOVE AS A VALUE

            A value is also defined as a belief about what is right and wrong and what is important in life.

            A longer definition says: Your values are the beliefs and principles that you believe are important in the way that you live and work. They determine your priorities, and guide your decisions and the way you act towards others. When the things that you do, and the way that you behave, match your values, life is usually good.

            Among the various sets of values ---- personal, social, moral, religious and cultural are most important.

            Love is one of the most important personal as also social value. To love somebody is natural. But more important is to love the whole world including   the earth, its inhabitants, nature, and all other things that exists within its arena.

            To love is to be friendly, affectionate, intimate, adorable, enchanting, engaging, winsome, endearing and warm-hearted.

            Unfortunately, we are living in a divided world. Religions, Castes, customs, socio-political conflicts, various moral theories, superstitions, selfishness, competitive spirit, lust for power, vicious disloyalty and disharmony in the various fields of life breed enmity and antagonism.

            The remedy lies in adopting love as an overall existential value.

            To quote the English writer and poet Maria Jane Jewsbury (1800-1833) ”Love is the purification of the heart from self; it strengthens and ennobles the character; gives higher motive and nobler aim to every action of life.

            She adds: The power to love truly and devotedly is the noblest gift with which a human being can be endowed.

            Finally, let us accept love as a most sacred universal value to curb and stop all sorts of hatred and mutual discords.

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G.R.Kanwal

2^nd November 2024

 

CUT SHORT YOUR WANTS

 

                   CUT SHORT YOUR WANTS

“Wants” are needs, necessities, desires, wishes, ambitions, hungers, dreams, lusts,etc. They are of different importance. Some are indispensable; many are superfluous. Their limit also matters. If you are contented, you need only as much as is must for your survival. The rest is  greed.

            Here is an important note: “All the desires and aspirations and motives of humans are known as human wants in economics. And the wants that can be satisfied with goods and services of any kind are economic wants. Like for example food, shelter and clothing.

           

            Besides economic wants, there are some other wants which gratify the body, the mind and the soul; like music, dance, poetry, literature, worship, meditation, travel and all sorts of creativity.

 

            However, too many wants of anything are vicious. They are a sign of greed, hence have painful consequences.

 

            Indian freedom fighter and saint Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) said that in the  world in which we are placed  ‘there is enough for everyone’s need, but not for his greed.”

 

            The English clergy Caleb C. Colton (1780-1832 ) said: “We are ruined, not by what we really want, but by what we think we do; therefore, never go abroad in search of your wants: for if they be real wants they will come in search of you. He that buys what he does not want, will soon want what he cannot buy.”

 

            The truth is that our real wants are very few and it is very easy to satisfy them.  On the contrary, our imaginary wants are boundless and insatiable.

 

            Finally the most important thing is to enjoy your life by cutting short your wants and be happy with whatever and as much as you have.

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G.R.Kanwal
1^st November 2024

  

PUNISHMENT

 

PUNISHMENT

“Punishment” is defined as the act of inflicting pain, suffering, or loss on a person as retribution for a misdeed, such as breaking a law or command.

It can take many forms including: forced labour, fine, forfeiture of property, dismissal from job, simple or rigorous imprisonment, life imprisonment, death penalty, etc.

            Punishment is for crime, not for sin for which there is suffering. According to some religions all suffering in life, such as sickness, poverty, pain and sorrow is a result of sin.

            A criminal is at the mercy of judiciary; a sinner,  at the mercy of God. Crime is a physical or mental misconduct ; sin is a spiritual aberration.

            Repentance, penance, torment, self-condemnation and suicide are forms of self-punishment.

            Forgiveness is a virtue. It brings a change in  the passion for revenge and retaliation.  

            Crime and sin do not remain unpunished forever. The laws of Karma , cause and effect, action and reaction, do show their results sooner or later.

            According to the American clergy J. B. Walker (1814-82) the existence of future punishment and everlasting destruction is an evidence of the goodness, the justice, and the wisdom of God: of goodness, in that it is a motive to prevent sin and turn men from evil; of justice, in that it is the righteous doom of irreclaimable sinners; and of wisdom, in that God can thus make the penalty of sin a motive to deter from sin.

            Finally, this psychological quote: Punishment can breed resentment and lead to increased aggression. In many cases,  it’s better to provide positive reinforcement for good behaviour rather than punishing misbehaviour.

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G. R. Kanwal

31^st October 2024

 

  

           

REPENTANCE

 

          REPENTANCE

A repentant person is one who is sorrowful, apologetic, regretful, remorseful, guilt-ridden or ashamed for any wrong he has done.

To repent is to feel or express sincere regret or remorse about one’s wrongdoing or sin. It may also mean to feel sorrow for your  sin and make up your mind to do what is right.

In repentance there is a feeling of dissatisfaction with what one has done unlawfully or immorally.

  To remain innocent all through one’s life is unimaginable.  The world is a slippery place both legally and morally.   There is hardly a grown-up person who has not committed some sort of guilt and consequently has not been pricked by his conscience to realize his guilt and become repentant. 

Hardened sinners who refuse to repent throughout their life are devilish.

According to the Scottish essayist Thomas Carlyle (1795-18881 “Of all acts of man repentance is the most divine and the greatest of all faults is to be conscious of none.

The American playwright Thornton Wilder (1897-1975) said that true repentance consists in the heart being broken for sin and broken from sin. Some often repent, yet never reform; they resemble a man travelling in a dangerous path, who frequently starts and stops, but never turns back.

The English philosopher and physician John Locke (1632-1704) believes that repentance is a hearty sorrow for our past misdeeds, and a sincere resolution and endeavour, to the utmost of our power, to conform all our actions to the law of God. It does not consist in one single act of sorrow, but in doing works meet for repentance; in a sincere obedience to the law of God  for the remainder of our lives.

Personally speaking, no sinner can revive his innocence and be pardoned by God without whole-hearted repentance.

Finally, this quote: Repentance is about humbly acknowledging sins, turning away from them, and surrendering to God’s mercy and grace.

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G.R.Kanwal

30 October 2024