TOLERANCE

 

TOLERANCE

‘Tolerance’ is defined as the willingness to accept or tolerate somebody or something, especially opinions or behavior that you may not agree with, or people who are not like you.

If you are tolerant you are able to accept what other people say or do even if you do not agree with.

Tolerance is a great quality. God is more tolerant than any human being on earth. Similarly, parents are more tolerant than other relatives. Friends, too, are expected to be tolerant, otherwise abandon friendship.

There are billions of people in this world. All cannot be of similar thoughts and deeds. They have their individualities. Like the fingers of a hand they differ from each other, yet they make a complete strong hand.

Variety is said to be the spice of life. So is the essence of different views, different opinions, different ways, different styles, different likes and dislikes. 

Harmony lies in tolerance, co-existence, broad-mindedness, liberalism, magnanimity, permissiveness and resilience.

Unity in diversity and co-existence are miraculous qualities among people and nations for peace and prosperity.

Another quality which people must have is the flexible approach to interpretation of words. There is no single interpretation of any group of words in poetry, religion, politics and philosophy. Let not, therefore, allow words to become bones of contention.  

Tolerance, even toleration, is better than intolerance.

The English poet and courtier Sir Philip Sidney (1554-1586) said: Among the best men are diversities of opinion, which should no more, in true reason, breed hatred, than one that loves black should be angry with him that is clothed in white; for thoughts are the very apparel of the mind.

  To conclude, here are a few words spoken by the French writer and  philosopher Voltaire (1694-1778): Tolerance is the consequence of humanity. We are all formed of frailty and error; let us pardon reciprocally each other’s folly --- that is the first law of nature.

                                                            *******

G.R.Kanwal

31 January 2025

 

THE SECRET OF HAPPINESS

 

          THE SECRET OF HAPPINESS

Happiness is not a dream. It is a reality. God has created all the resources of happiness for all living beings. There is plenty to eat and drink. Life suffers from no pain, if it is lived virtuously. It becomes sick and distressful when it commits some deadly sin. The list of socio-moral virtues to be followed is not long. You are expected to be just, kind, loving, calm, compassionate, contented, active, co-operative, selfless, humble, appreciative, grateful, and morally upright.

 There are legitimate desires for survival and enjoyment. Their limit should not be crossed. To go on enhancing your hunger for luxuries and unnecessary desires is to spoil your happiness. You can have a peaceful sleep when you are satisfied with your simple life and high thinking; and fearless if you have committed no wrong according to divine rules.

Apart from yourself, it is the government of the day which has to ensure the state of happiness. A government which cannot provide to its citizens paid  employment, food, clothing, shelter, health care, peaceful environment, clean water, pure air and some occasions of seasonal  festivities  is guilty of  incompetence.

Remember, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

Fulfilment of one’s ambition is not a vice. It enables a person to give his best to the world. It is also a major factor that contributes to one’s happiness.

 The people at the helm of affairs must create enough opportunities for the pursuit of the legitimate ambition of every individual.

To conclude, this quote by Scottish archbishop James Sharp (1618-79): If you cannot be happy in one way, be in another; this facility of disposition wants but little aid from philosophy, for health and good humor are almost the whole affair. Many run about after felicity, like an absent man hunting for his hat, while it is in his hand or on his head.

                                                ********

G.R.Kanwal

30 January 2025

 

  

           

GOD IS ALL

 

GOD IS ALL 

In several psalms and prayers God is all. He is the creator of the universe and whatever is there belongs to Him. He is the master, and all living and non-living beings depend upon Him for their existence and survival.

God is the source of all the help we need for our health, happiness, actions,  progress, evolution,  grace, wisdom, intelligence and salvation.

The French bishop Jean Baptiste Massillon (1663-1907) said: God should be the object of all our desires, the end of all our actions, the principle of all our affections, and the governing power of our whole souls.

According to the Scottish novelist George Macdonald (1824-1905): God’s thoughts, his will, his love, his judgments are all man’s home. To think his thoughts, to choose his will, to love his loves, to judge his judgments, and thus to know that he is in us, is to be at home.

 To conclude this brief note, here is a poem titled “Thou Art All” by Annie R. Pritchard (biographical facts could not be found). It is a sort of beautiful psalm addressed to God.

I praise Thee Lord and Saviour

My shield, my hope and stay

Thou art my sure foundation,

A lamp to light my way.

A friend, and Elder Brother

In whom I can confide.

Thou art my place of refuge

And Thou art all beside.              

 

When from Thy pathway straying

I call Thee, Thou dost come

And bid me mark the footprints

Which leads me to Thy home.

My path thou dost encircle

All through the gloomy night,

And shining through the dimness

Thou makest darkness light.

 

O lead me then, dear Saviour

And ever hold my hand

Until my feet shall enter

That bright and better land,

Where through the endless ages

I’ll praise the matchless grace

Which bought, redeemed and saved me, 

And see Thy glorious face.

                                                **********

G.R.Kanwal

29  January 2025

GOD AND MAN

 

 

                                        GOD AND MAN  

In certain religions ‘God ‘is the creator and the ruler of the universe. He is the unparallel source of all moral authority and is worshipped as having power over nature and human fortunes. 

He is Invisible, self-existent,  omniscient, omnipotent, eternal and omnipresent .

In Hinduism, there are three forms of God --- Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver and Shiva the destroyer.     

            The term ‘man” is explained  as any person  or even all the human race regardless of their sex or age.

 

            The whole human race is dependent upon God for its existence.  survival, happiness, prosperity and progress,  

 

The relationship between God and man is described as one ‘of love, faith, and obedience. It is a relationship where God is the parent and humans are the children.’

 

            Man is imperfect, commits crimes and sins, has both vices and virtues.

 

God knows the actions done by every  individual. He assigns paradise or hell according to the good or bad deeds of  every individual. However, whereas he is a hard task-master, he is also  generous , forgiving and merciful.

           

            The English essayist, philosopher and statesman  Francis Bacon ( 1561-1626) says: They that deny a God, destroy man’s nobility; for clearly man is of kin to the beasts by his body, and if he be not of kin to God by his spirit, he is a base and ignoble creature.

 

            According to the American minister Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887) : The very word “God” suggests care, kindness, goodness; and the idea of God in his infinity, is infinite care, infinite kindness, infinite goodness. We give God the name of good: it is only by shortening it that it becomes God.

 

            To conclude , here is an anonymous quote: In all his dispensations God is at work for our good. –In prosperity he tries our gratitude; in mediocrity, our contentment; in misfortune, our submission; in darkness, our faith; under temptation, our steadfastness, and at all times, our obedience and trust in him.

                                                            *******

G.R.Kanwal

28 January 2025   

AMBITION

 

AMBITION

‘Ambition’ is defined as a strong desire to do or achieve something. Some common synonyms of this word are: desire, aspiration, drive, force, enterprise, eagerness, zeal, longing, yearning, purpose, wish, dream, hope, etc.

Ambition is not a vice as some would like to call it. It is rather a virtue. All of us are supposed to have a legitimate and well-deserved ambition in life.

Without ambition we are idlers. We do not know what to do; how to spend our time in a socially useful way.

However, one’s ambition should be according to one’s talents. Miscalculated  ambitions end in smoke. They turn out to be undesirable dreams.

Roman historian Sallust 86-34 B.C. said : It is the nature of ambition to make men liars and cheats who hide the truth in their hearts, and like jugglers, show another thing in their mouths; to cut all friendships and enmities to the measure of their interest, and put on a good face where there is no corresponding good will.

The English poet-soldier Sir Philip Sidney (1554-86) had this to say: To be ambitious of true honour and of the real glory and perfection of our nature is the very principle and incentive of virtue; but to be ambitious of titles, place, ceremonial respects, and civil pageantry, is as vain and little as the things are which we court.

An ambitious person should think about his capability before aiming at any position or goal. To remember the proverb: “Cut your coat according to your cloth” is a good guide.

   Here are some relevant quotes from the plays of the English poet-playwright William Shakespeare (1564-1616):

*Dreams indeed are ambition, for the very substance of the ambitious is merely the shadow of a dream.---Hamlet, Act 2.

**Banish the canker of ambitious thoughts.---Henry VI, 2^nd Part, Act 1.

***Virtue is chok’d with foul ambition. ---Henry VI, 2^nd part, Act 3.

****As he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honour him; but, as he was ambitious, I slew him. There is tears for his love; joy for his fortune, honour for his valour; and death for his ambition.----Julius Caesar, Act 3.

*****O! now, for ever

Farewell the tranquil mind; farewell content!

Farewell the plumed troop and the big wars

That  make ambition virtue! -----Othello, Act 3.

 

To conclude, this famous quote by Bill Bradley the former member of the United States Senate (Born 28 July 1943) : Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in.

                                                            ********

G.R.Kanwal

27 January 2025

THE TRUTH ABOUT VANITY

 

          THE TRUTH ABOUT VANITY

‘Vanity” is defined as too much pride in your own appearance, abilities, or achievements.  

The thoughts of some writers on vanity are:

*Every man has just as much vanity as he wants understanding.---English poet Alexander Pope (1688-1744).

**Vanity makes us do more things against inclination than reason.---French author Francis de La Rochefoucauld (1613-1680).

*** Vanity keeps persons in favour with themselves, who are out of favour with all others.--- English poet-playwright William Shakespeare (1564-1616).

****Of all our infirmities, vanity is the dearest to us; a man will starve his other vices to keep that alive. ---American statesman Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790).

*****Vanity is the foundation of the most ridiculous and contemptible vices ---the vices of affectation and common lying. ----Scottish economist and philosopher Adam Smith (1723-1790).

            The word ‘vanity’ is also used to mean the quality of being worthless or futile.

The English author Samuel Johnson wrote a satirical poem The Vanity of Human Wishes in the autumn l of 1748. It was an imitation of the tenth satire of the Roman poet (Born 55AD) .  

The moral of Johnson’s poem is that happiness can only be found through submission to God.      

            The English author William Makepeace Thackeray (1811-1863) wrote the novel “Vanity Fair. He took this title from the “Pilgrims’s Progress” a book written by the English writer John Bunyan (1628-1688).  In Bunyan’s book ‘vanity fair’ refers to a market place in the fictional town of vanity know as the entre of human corruption in the 17^th century.  

According to a literary opinion  the moral of Thackeray’s novel Vanity Fair is that the pursuit of worldly vanity and social status often leads to moral corruption and unhappiness.

            To conclude, this very short quote : The surest cure for vanity is loneliness.

                                    *********

G.R.Kanwal

26 January 2025

 

TEMPTATIONS

 

          TEMPTATIONS

‘Temptations’ are not good. They are bad because they are like desires to do something wrong or unwise.

The result of getting tempted is dangerous. Eve and Adam were tempted by the devil in heaven as a result of which they were expelled from there and placed in this world where humanity is always in some sort of anxiety.

To regain heaven is a hard task. It depends upon a long period of virtuous deeds and adoption of the moral route that leads to salvation.  

It is regrettable that we try to tempt each other. Offering of temptations is equivalent to seduction, allurement and inducement. Nowadays we find such examples in the political persuasions at election times. Electors are inspired to prefer temptations to ideologies. In this respect, temptation is the act of influencing by exciting hope or desire.

Great leaders, at all times, have laid emphasis on good means for good ends. They did not accept the policy of achieving success by hook or crook. For them, the best policy is fair ends with fair means.

According to the English writer Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) To resist temptation once is not a sufficient proof of honesty. If a servant, indeed, were to resist the continued temptation of silver lying in a window, when he is sure his master does not know how much there is of it, he would give a strong proof of honesty. But this is a proof to which you have no right to put a man. You know there is a certain degree of temptation which will overcome any virtue. Now, in so far as you approach temptation to a man, you do him an injury; and, if he is overcome, you share his guilt.  

The English poet-dramatist William Shakespeare (1564-1616) says: It is one thing to be tempted, another thing to fall.

Finally, this quote : A moral temptation is a decision about right versus wrong and is based clearly on the core values that each person possesses.

                        ********

G.R.Kanwal

25 January 2025

 

WE ARE NOT PUPPETS

 

WE ARE NOT PUPPETS

A puppet is defined as a movable model of a person or animal that is typically moved either by strings controlled from above or by a hand inside it.

Metaphorically a person, group, or country under the control of another may also be called a puppet.

Some of the common synonyms of puppets are: stooges, pawns, tools. Instruments, dummies, minions, figureheads, mouthpieces, yes-persons, statues, and underlings.

All these synonyms indicate subordination with no right to think and  act independently.

  What about human beings with reference to God or gods? Many people, believe that we are puppets and have to act as fate ordains.

This view is not accepted  by poets like Sir Muhammad Iqbal (1877-1938).  He uses for man the symbol of the “Shaheen” (eagle) who embodies the spirit of freedom, ambition, and self-soaring aspiration. According to him  man, too, is an independent creator. If God has created clay, man has created cups. And if God has created dark nights, man has created lamps to illuminate them.

Before I quote a poem entitled Puppets by a modern poetess Beatrice West, read this view:  “Whether humans are puppets is a matter of personal belief, with some people believing that humans are agents who make choices, while others believe that humans are controlled by external forces.”

The text of the poem Puppets reads as follows:

We are but puppets on the stage of life,

Before the footlights of its pain and strife;

We play the part that fate ordains us play,

And when our part is ended pass upon our way.

 

Time swiftly flies, too soon our part is done,

Life’s play is ended. ‘ere it’s scarce begun;

One final bow, there can be no anchor,

Death’s curtain falls arising never more.

            Finally, this short but relevant quote: Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought.

                                                *********

G.R.Kanwal

24 January 2025

https://grkanwal.blogspot.com/

 

    

 

 

POVERTY

 

                POVERTY

In every country, you find people who are classified as poor, very poor; rich, very rich; employed, unemployed; low- paid, highly- paid; self-sufficient and needy; alms seekers and alms givers.

According to dictionaries: Poverty is said to exist when people lack the means to satisfy their basic needs which are defined as “The fundamental resources and support people need to survive and thrive. These include access to nutritious food; clean water; secure and stable shelter; access to adequate clothing, health care services; educational institutions ; and means of transportation.

Add to the above the ability to meet financial obligations.

Needless to say that many countries are unable to satisfy the basic needs of a large number their citizens and if they are elected democracies their political parties vie with each other to offer freebies to the electors to attract  their votes.

Another poverty-related phenomenon is that of giving of fee rations to a large number of so-called poor people throughout the year. These recipients become their electoral supporters at the time of elections.

Poverty is not natural. It is not God-made. It is due to faulty systems of governance.

A good democratic government should provide adequately-paid employment to its citizens so that they become financially able to pay for their basic needs.

Those who remain unemployed should get unemployment allowance.  

The American industrialist Henry Ford (1863=1947) said: The cure for “Materialism” is to have enough for everybody and to spare. When people are sure of having what they need they cease to think about it.

Somebody has rightly said: “Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life.”

Finally, this quote by Pope Francis 1 (born December 17, 1936): Poverty in the world is a scandal. In a world where there is so much wealth, so many resources to feed everyone, it is unfathomable that there are so many hungry children.

*********

G.R.Kanwal

23 January 2025                   

                                               

WHAT IS HAPPINESS?

 

WHAT IS HAPPINESS?

 Sonja Lyubomirsky, a Russian-born American professor of psychology defines happiness as “the experience of joy, contentment, or positive well-being, combined with a sense that one’s life is good, meaningful, and worthwhile. According to her every one of us can take actions and develop habits that increase happiness.

            Another American psychologist Martin Seligman who was born on 12 August 1942 argued that happiness has three dimensions that can be cultivated: The regular experience of pleasantness (the pleasant life). The frequent engagement in satisfying activities (the engaged life).  The experience of a sense of connectedness to a greater whole (the meaningful life).

He adds: Although each dimension is important, the happiest people tend to be those who pursue the full life ---they infuse their life with pleasure, engagement, and meaning,

            To put it briefly, a happy man is one who eats a healthy diet, practices self-care, explores new activities, keeps smiling, has an aptitude for positive thinking, spends some time in meditation, builds positive relationships with all sorts of people, expresses gratitude to all and sundry and to God , who spends his time purposefully, and who does not fail to relax after the day’s hard work.

            Also note that happiness is not a windfall. It is a pursuit.  It does not depend upon luck.  Its source is physical, mental, aesthetic and spiritual labour.

A man with a pure soul does not lack happiness. The English novelist Bulwer-Lytton (1803-72) said: Happiness and virtue rest upon each other; the best are not only the happiest, but the happiest are usually the best,

Seneca, the stoic philosopher, statesman and dramatist of Ancient Rome  (Died 65 AD) said: The true felicity of life is to be free from anxieties and perturbations; to understand and do our duties to God and man, and to enjoy the present without any serious dependence on the future,   

     Finally, this quote by Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948): Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.

                                                ********

G.R.Kanwal

22 January 2025

DON’T MULTIPLY YOUR WANTS

 

          DON’T MULTIPLY YOUR WANTS

Be simple, be contented, be frugal and be conscious of the fact that in this world your life is short and your indispensable wants are limited. You just need a small cottage, a source of requisite income, two full meals a day, sufficient rest and enough means for life’s miscellaneous activities and occasional celebrations.  

There is no wisdom in buying luxuries,  falling a prey to consumerism, developing addictions to unhealthy habits and feeling proud. Let your possessions be as limited as possible. When you have to leave this world, you are empty-handed. Nothing goes with you except your noble thoughts and deeds and a sense of gratitude to God who gave you the opportunity to visit this world.

Happiness lies in simple living and high thinking as also in keeping your soul unblemished. You die but your immortal soul survives forever and reappears in various forms.

Greek philosopher Socrates (Died 15 Feb 399 BC) said: The fewer our wants, the nearer we resemble the gods.

According to the Latin poet Marcus Manilius (1^st century A.D.) : Every one is poorer in proportion as he has more wants, and counts not what he has, but wishes only for what he has not.

  Finally, the following Ode on Solitude by the English poet Alexander Pope (1688-1744).

Happy the man, whose wish and care

A few paternal acres bound,

Content to breathe his native air,

In his own ground.

 

Whose herds with milk, whose fields with bread,

Whose flocks supply him with attire,

Whose trees in summer yield him shade.

In winter fire.

 

Blest, who can unconcernedly find

Hours, days, and years slide soft away,

In health of body, peace of mind,

Quiet by day.

 

Sound sleep by night: study and ease,

Together mixed; sweet recreation;

And innocence, which most does please.

With meditation.

 

                        In the fifth and last stanza of this ode, Pope says:

Thus let me live, unseen, unknown;

Thus unlamented let me die;

Steal from the world, and not a stone

Tell where I lie.

                                                ********

G.R.Kanwal             

January 21, 2025

      

 

 

 

 

 

QUALITIES OF GOOD LEADERS

 

 

QUALITIES OF GOOD LEADERS

 A leader is a person who leads a group of people, especially as the head of a country or a political party or an organization. So we have political, social, religious and market leaders. There are also such phrases as local, state, national, international and world leaders.

            Leaders are both born and made. Born leaders are few, trained ones are many. Quite a few are dynastic leaders. They have inherited leadership.

            All leaders are not good and popular and esteemed by their followers. Some of the qualities of good leaders are listed below.

1.The ability to lead, command, control and serve.

2. Latest awareness about the field where they have been selected or appointed or designated as leaders,

3. They must be dynamic, innovative and competitive.

4. They must continue to update their qualities and should not rest on their laurels and achievements.

5. If they can have access to a leadership school, they must join its refresher course.

6. They must remain in touch with their followers, staff at all levels and other subordinates.

7.  Integrity is one of the most important qualities of good leaders. They must not indulge in malpractices.

8. Good leaders are empathetic. They are willing listeners and considerate about the concerns of their followers.

9. Such leaders as have poor vision or imperfect interest about the mission their organization cannot compete with rival organizations.

10. Anger is not a quality in a good leader. It is a dangerous weakness.

11. Good leaders are patient and compassionate, they are kind and considerate, large-hearted and gracious.

12. Humility is an admirable quality even in a very powerful leader.

13. Good leaders know how to encourage, motivate and inspire their followers or subordinates and make them progressive and innovative.

14. Revengefulness or enmity of any kind is dangerous for any type of leader.

15. As somebody has said good leaders cultivate a positive organizational culture.

            Finally, this quote about a good leader: He knows the way, goes the way. and  shows the way.

                                                            *******

G.R.Kanwal

20^th January 2025

 

                                                                  

 

 

THE BIBLE SAYS

 

         

                             THE BIBLE SAYS

The Bible says:

1.A soft answer turneth away wrath.

2. He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty.

3.Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise,

4. refrain your tongue from backbiting.

5. Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s.

6. Men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

7. A living dog is better than a dead lion.

8. Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

9. Be eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.

10. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

11. Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

12. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.

13. The labourer is worthy of his hire.

14. Man’s life on earth is a warfare.

15.Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

16. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning.

17. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown.

18. You cannot serve God and mammon.

19. No man can serve two masters.

20. Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet,and turn again and rend you.

21.He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it.

22.A prophet is not without honour, save in his own house.

23. Let us crown ourselves with rosebuds before they be withered.

24. Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.

25.Your  sin will find you out.

 

                        To conclude: All the quotes given above have eternal wisdom. They contain the essence of centuries of experience.  Their spirit is social, moral, religious, psychological and philosophical. They are inspirational and the language in which they have been expressed is simple and dignified. In short, they they are like pages of a great  book on practical life and moral conduct.

 

                                                            ********

G.R.Kanwal

19^th January 2025

           

 

THE TOYS : A POEM BY PATMORE

 

THE TOYS : A POEM BY PATMORE

Coventry Patmore was a British poet and literary critic. He was born on 23 July 1823 and died on 26 November 1896.  His main concern as a poet and articles writer was religion, spiritualism and philosophy. The Unknown Eros and some mystical odes of divine love and married love are his best poetry.

The Toys is one of his most popular poems which deals with children’s  interest like playing with toys which his father does not lie and punishes him even when he knows that his son is motherless. However, the father soon feels guilty and realizes that even adults play with toys like material goods but God treats them  as His sons and forgives them.

The poem which is given below is in simple, dignified language.

The Toys

My little Son, who looked from thoughtful eyes

And moved and spoke in quite grown-up wise,

Having my law the seventh time disobey’d,

I struck him, and dismissed

With hard words and unkiss’d.

---His mother, who was patient, being dead.

Then , fearing lest his grief should hinder sleep,

I visited his bed.

But found him slumbering deep,

With darken’d eyelids, and their lashes yet

From his late sobbing wet.

And I, with moan,

Kissing away his tears, left others of my own;

For, on a table drawn beside his head,

He had put, within his reach,

A box of counters and a red-vein’d stone

A piece of glass abraded by the beach.

And six or seven shells,

A bottle with bluebells,

And two French copper coins, ranged there with careful art

To comfort his sad heart.

So when that night I pray’d

To God, I wept and said:

Ah, when at last we lie with tranced breath,

Not vexing Thee in death,

And Thou rememberest of what toys

We made our joys,

How weakly understood

Thy great commanded good,

Then, fatherly not less

Than I whom Thou hast moulded from the clay,

Thou ‘lt leave Thy wrath, and say.

‘I will be sorry for their childishness’.  

                                                *********

G.R.Kanwal

18^th January 2025

 

 

CATCH THE PRESENT MOMENT

 

          CATCH THE PRESENT MOMENT 

‘Time’ is defined as what is measured in minutes, hours, days, etc. Another definition describes it as ‘the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present and future regarded as a whole “travel through space and time.”

Time is also mentioned as ‘today’ and ‘tomorrow’.  To measure it in this way is not correct because time is eternal. It was, it is and it will be. It is endless. However, the dependable part of time is the present moment. The past cannot be called back and the future is uncertain.

A disturbing aspect of time is its memory of the past. It consumes a lot of our time at the cost of our present moment  when we are alive and are supposed to do what is relevant . Past is history, future is a dream. Present is a hard reality but it also becomes past in the split of a second.

  Wisdom requires not to brood over the past and also not to dream about the future. The English poet and philanthropist Adelaide Anne Procter (1825-1864)  has written a poem which she has called “Now” and begins with the lines:

Rise ! for the day is passing,

And you lie dreaming on’

            The others have buckled their armor,

            And forth to the fight are gone.

 

She goes on to say:

 

            A place in the ranks awaits you,

            Each man has some part to play;

            The Past and Future are nothing,

            In the face of the stern today.

 

The second stanza begins with the line:

           

            Rise from your dreams of the future,

            And ends with the lines:

 

Your Future has deeds of glory,

            Of honor (God grant it may !)

            But your arm will never be stronger,

            Or the need so great as Today.

 

The third of this four-stanza poem deals with the Past time and is most significant because it lays stress on the significance of the present moment for which she has used the word “Now” as the title of her poem.

 

            Rise ! if the Past detains you,

            Her sunshine and storms forget;

            No chains so unworthy to hold you

            As those of a vain regret:

            Sad or bright, she is lifeless ever;

            Cast her phantom arms away,

            Nor look back, save to learn the lesson

Of a nobler strife Today.

           

Finally, here is a famous quote: “Yesterday’s the past, tomorrow’s the future, but today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.”

 

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G.R.Kanwal

17^th January 2025