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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

 

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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’.  

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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