SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT THE WORLD

 

          SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT THE WORLD

            Dictionaries define the world as the earth, with all its countries, peoples and natural features.

            This definition mentions no thoughts about the world. The English poet-playwright William Shakespeare (1564-1616) does. According to him:

                             All the world’s a stage

            And all the men and women merely players;

They have their exits and entrances;

And one man in his time plays many parts,

His acts being seven ages.  

 

Here man is an actor. He thinks about the world according to his profession. In fact, the thoughts of each man are the product of his professional activities.

 

            The Scottish novelist and poet Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832) says: This world is a dream within a dream; and as we grow older, each step is an awakening. The youth awakes, as he thinks, from childhood; the full grown man despises the pursuits of youth as visionary; and the old man looks on manhood a feverish dream.  Death the last sleep?  No ! it is the last and final awakening.

 

                The English courtier , orator and wit Philip Dormer Stanhope (1694-1773) said: I have run the silly rounds of pleasure, and have done with them all. I have enjoyed all the pleasures of the world, which is in truth very low; those who have only seen their outside always ornate them, but I have been behind the scenes, I have seen all the coarse pulleys and dirty ropes which move the gaudy machines, and I have seen and smelt the tallow candles which illuminate the whole decoration, to the astonishment and admiration of the ignorant audience. When I reflect on what I have seen, what I have heard , and what I have done, I can hardly persuade myself that all that frivolous hurry and bustle of pleasure in the world had any reality; but I look upon all that is passed as one of those romantic dreams which opium  openly occasions, and I do by no means desire to repeat the nauseous dose.  

            To conclude, have a look at this quote: The world is seldom what it seems; to man, who dimly sees, realities appear as dreams, and dreams realities. -----Thomas Moore, Irish poet (1779-1852).

 

                                                ********

G.R.Kanwal

5^th April 2025                     

LOVE IS A SMALL WORD

 

                   LOVE IS A SMALL WORD

Love is a small word but with big meanings. It manifests strong feelings of affection for not only men and women but also the whole creation of God.  

The Scottish novelist and poet Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832) said: “In peace, love tunes the shepherd’s reed; in war, he mounts the warrior’s steed; in halls, in gay attire is seen; in hamlet, dances on the green. Love rules the court, the camp, the grove, and men below, and saints above; for love is heaven, and heaven is love.”

Self-love is no love. It is not more than a drop in an ocean. Love and prayer should be for the whole existence. The English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) said in his poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner :

“Farewell, farewell, but this I tell

To thee, thou Wedding Guest!

He prayeth well, who loveth well

Both man and bird and beast.  

 

“He prayeth best, who loveth best

All things both great and small;

For the dear God who loveth us,

He made and loveth all.”

 

To love all that exists in this immeasurable universe is to become the noblest child of God. There is nothing which does not fall within the loveable circle of creation.

 

            Love is not for today or tomorrow. It is for all the days of one’s life. It keeps the heart beating. The moment this beating begins to fade , life starts to sink.

Love has to be there for every solid moment of existence. The English poet-playwright William Shakespeare (1564-1616) said in a sonnet:

           

“Love’s not a Time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks

            Within his bending sickle’s compass come;

            Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

            But bears it out even to the edge of doom.

 

                                                *******

  G.R.Kanwal

4^th April 2025

 

 

CHILDREN

 

CHILDREN

Children are the symbols of simplicity, purity, honesty, innocence and piousness.

They have yet to learn the evils of dishonesty, falsehood, criminality, viciousness, stealth, aggressiveness, revenge, unfaithfulness and deceptiveness.

Consequently, they are exceedingly attractive and lovely. Their smiles are delightful and their laughter is marvellous.

 

The English poet William Wordsworth (1770-1850) says in his poem Intimations of Immortality:

 

“Heaven lies about us in our infancy;

Shades of the prison house begin to close upon the growing boy,

But he beholds the light, and whence it flows.

He sees it in his joy;

The youth, who daily farther from the east**

Must travel, still is Nature’s priest,***

And by the vision splendid

Is on his way attended;

At length the man perceives it die away,

And fade into the light of common day.

“Earth fills her lap with pleasures of her own;

Yearnings she hath in her own natural kind,

And, even with something of a mother’s mind,

And no unworthy aim,

The homely nurse doth all she can

To make her foster child, her inmate man,

Forget the glories he hath known,

And that imperial palace whence he came.

                                    ----

*prison house worldly existence. **east: the beginning of the sun’s daily journey. ***Nature’s priest: feeler of spiritual unity with nature.  

                        ------

To conclude, here is an educative  quote by the English divine August W. Hare (1792-1834): Tasks set to children should be moderate. Over-exertion is hurtful both physically and intellectually, and even morally. But it is of the utmost importance that they should be made to fulfil all their tasks correctly and punctually. This will train them for an exact and conscientious discharge of their duties in after life.

                                    ********

G.R.Kanwal

3^rd April 2025                       

WHAT IS THE BEST DRINK?

 

                   WHAT    IS    THE   BEST   DRINK?

Water, said somebody, is the best drink for a gentleman. It is not only the necessity of the human body but is also full of health advantages. First of all it quenches your thirst harmlessly. Moreover, it purifies the body, improves digestion, regulates temperature, prevents dehydration, maintains proper blood circulation, is joints, eyes and brain friendly.

Check the quality of water before you drink it. It must have no impurities, otherwise it will damage your liver, kidneys and lungs. Boil it to make it cleaner.

Plain water is better than with some kind of content. However, black,   green and herbal teas have some additional advantages in certain diseases.

Alcohol is better shunned than adopted.  Its disadvantages outnumber than its advantages.  It causes numerous health problems concerning liver, kidney, heart, lungs and brain. It also enhances cancer risk .

Look at the following popular quotes on drinking alcohol:

i).The first draught serveth for health, the second for pleasure, the third for shame, and the fourth for madness.

ii). The Japanese say: “A man takes a drink, then the drink takes the man.      

iii). The barroom as a bank: You deposit your money -–and lose it; your time--- and lose it; your character ----and lose it; your manly independence ----and lose it; your home comfort ---- and lose it; your self control ---and lose it; your children’s happiness ---and lose it; your own soul---and lose it.

iv). In the bottle, discontent seeks for comfort; cowardice, for courage; bashfulness, for confidence; sadness for joy; and all find ruin!

            To conclude, if unavoidable, drink a little in a celebration, and call it enough.                                               

G.R.Kanwal

2^nd April 2025

 

ACTIONS

 

ACTIONS

            Some common synonyms of actions are deeds, activities, movements, operations, maneuvers, performances, accomplishments and achievements.

They are the results of one’s ideas, thoughts, aims, ambitions, desires, aspirations, dreams, intentions, goals, targets and plans.

            A simple antonym of action is inactivity which is undesirable. Our body and mind must perform their actions if we do not want to become sick and consequently die.

            Actions are also qualitative. Good actions are virtuous; the bad ones are vicious. The former maintain and promote life; the latter, spoil and destroy it.

            Religiously, too, actions are significant. They have both good and bad results. Heaven is awarded to morally sound people; and those who do evil deeds are confined to hell.

            A man, according to a proverb, is judged by his actions, not by his words.  Another proverb says—actions speak louder than words.     

The Greek philosopher Sophocles (c.496- 406/405 BCE) says: Heaven never helps the man who will not act.

Religiously, a man’s fate is the consequence of his healthy or unhealthy actions.

The British statesman Benjamin Disraeli (1804 – 1881) believed: Action may not always bring happiness ; but there is no happiness without action.

Look at the following everlasting thoughts on action:

(i).The actions of men are the best interpreters of their thoughts. --- English philosopher John Locke (1632-1704).

(ii).To do an evil act is base. To do a good one without incurring  danger, is common enough. But it is the part of a good man to do great and noble deeds though he risks everything in doing them.---Greek philosopher and historian Plutarch (Born about 45 CE –Died around 120 CE).     

       (iii).We must be doing something to be happy. –Action is no less necessary to us than thought. ---English essayist William Hazlitt (1778-1830).

            To conclude, a quote by the English poet William Wordsworth (1770-1850) : Thought and theory must precede all salutary action; yet action is nobler in itself than either thought or theory.

                                                            *******

G.R.Kanwal

1^st April 2025

 

ABRAHAM LINCOLN ON EDUCATION

 ABRAHAM LINCOLN ON EDUCATION

Abraham Lincoln (12 Feb 1809-15 Apr 1865) was the 16^th president of the United States. He was in the chair from 4 March 1861 to 15 April 1865 when he was assassinated.

According to historians :“His actions, particularly the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 led to the end of slavery in the Confederate states and paved the way for the 13^th Amendment, which abolished slavery nationwide.”

Lincoln was an eminent legislator and lawyer, though he was mostly self-educated and had only intermittent schooling for about a year. He never attended any college. However, his interest in self-learning was life-long.

The letter which is given below was addressed by him to his son’s first school teacher. It is an eternal document on the man-making philosophy of education.  Let us read it thoroughly.

“My son starts school today. It is all going to be strange and new to him for a while and I wish you would treat him gently. It is an adventure that might take him across continents. All adventures that probably include wars, tragedy and sorrow. To live this life will require faith, love and courage.

 

“So dear Teacher, will you please take him by his hand and teach him things he will have to know, teaching him – but gently, if you can. Teach him that for every enemy, there is a friend. He will have to know that all men are not just, that all men are not true. But teach him also that for every scoundrel there is a hero, that for every crooked politician, there is a dedicated leader.

 

“Teach him if you can that 10 cents earned is of far more value than a dollar found. In school, teacher, it is far more honorable to fail than to cheat. Teach him to learn how to gracefully lose, and enjoy winning when he does win.

         

“Teach him to be gentle with people, tough with tough people. Steer him away from envy if you can and teach him the secret of quiet laughter. Teach him if you can – how to laugh when he is sad, teach him there is no shame in tears. Teach him there can be glory in failure and despair in success. Teach him to scoff at cynics.

“Teach him if you can the wonders of books, but also give time to ponder the extreme mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun and flowers on a green hill. Teach him to have faith in his own ideas, even if every one tell him they are wrong.

 

“Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when everyone else is doing it. Teach him to listen to every one, but teach him also to filters all that he hears on a screen of truth and take only the good that comes through.

 

“Teach him to sell his talents and brains to the highest bidder but never to put a price tag on his heart and soul. Let him have the courage to be impatient, let him have the patient to be brave. Teach him to have sublime faith in himself, because then he will always have sublime faith in mankind, in God.

 

“This is the order, teacher but see what best you can do. He is such a nice little boy and he is my son.”

 

                                      **********

G.R.Kanwal

31^st March 2025

 

 

 

WHAT IS GREATNESS?

 

 WHAT IS GREATNESS?

Greatness is an extraordinary quality of head, heart, mind and soul. Literally, it may stand for bigness, largeness, extensiveness, vastness, immensity, hugeness, enormity, spaciousness , bulk, size, mass and  length.

 

Metaphorically, its implications are as  different as grandness, grandeur, magnificence, impressiveness, gloriousness, eminence, renown, nobility, proficiency, profundity and skillfulness.

 

A really great man, says Otto von Bismarck, a German statesman and diplomat (115-1896), is known by three signs --- generosity in the design, humanity in execution, moderation in success.

 

According to the American clergy William Ellery Channing (1780-1842) : The greatest man is he who chooses the right with invincible resolution; who resists the sorest temptations from within  and without; who bears the heaviest burdens cheerfully; who is calmest in storms, and most fearless under menace and frowns; and whose reliance on truth, on virtue, and on God, is most unfaltering.

 

The English poet and essayist Joseph Addison (1672-1719) had this to say: A contemplation of God’s works, a generous concern for the good of mankind, and the unfeigned exercise of humility --- these only, denominate men great and glorious.

 

In recent times, men like Mahatma Gandhi may be included in the list of great men of the world. He is the truest illustration of the following lines from A Psalm of Life, a poem written by the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) :

 

Lives of great men all remind us

We can make our lives sublime,

And, departing leave behind us

Footprints on the sands of time;

 

Footprints, that perhaps another,

Sailing o’er life’s solemn main,

A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,

Seeing, shall take hear again.

                        ***********

 

G.R.Kanwal

30^th March 2025