POLITICAL LOYALTY

 

                POLITICAL LOYALTY

Political loyalty is as necessary as any other loyalty. It is an unchangeable commitment and should not be abandoned in any adverse or unprofitable circumstance.

Politics is not commercial business. It is patriotism. It is love of a moral ideology. It should not be adopted for loaves and fishes but for self-sacrifice.  

It is a common phenomenon that a political party becomes financially weak, politically un-rewarding and less fruitful than it used to be. It may be a critical time for the party and its members. It is however also the time for its member to remain loyal and contribute their abilities to re-strengthen their party, not to leave it like a sinking ship.

            It is not wrong to say that most modern politicians go for what they regard the seven cardinal principles, namely the five loaves and two fishes.

            It is also correct to say that party standards are the shadows in which patriotism is buried.

            Most of the politicians say we want to serve the country which is not fully correct. They want to serve themselves more than the country. Gains from so-called patriotism have different forms.

Finally, the views of the French statesman Alexis Charles Henry de Tocqueville (1805 – 1859). He said : The political parties that I would call great, are those which cling more to principles than to consequences; to general, and not to special cases; to ideas, and not to men ---Such parties are usually distinguished by a nobler character, more generous passions, more genuine convictions and a more bold and open conduct than others.

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G.R.Kanwal

30 March  2024

 

WHO WAS KHALIL GIBRAN?

 

WHO WAS KHALIL GIBRAN?

Khalil Gibran was a Lebanese American writer. He was born on 6^th January 1883 at Bsharri in Lebanon and died in a hospital on 10^th April 1931 at the age of 48. In 1932, he was buried in Khalil Gibran Museum, Lebanon.

Gibran wrote quite a few famous books including ‘The Prophet’ which has  been translated into more than 100 languages.

He is a philosopher and spiritualist. That is why there is novelty in his sayings which run into hundreds and are quoted universally.

Here are some of them:

1.     I discovered the secret of the sea in meditation upon the dewdrop. 2.Of life’s two chief prizes , beauty and truth, I found the first in a loving heart and the second in a labourer’s hand. 3. To be closer to God is to be closer to people. 4. He brings disaster upon his nation who never sows a seed, or lays a brick, or weaves a garment, but makes politics his occupation. 5. The spiritual man is he who has experienced all earthly things and is in revolt against them

Finally, the following quote in a poetic form;

When I wrote on my door:

“Leave your traditions outside,

Before you come in,”

Not a soul dared

To visit me or open my door.

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Note:Translations from Arabic are by

Anthony Rizcallah Ferris             

G.R.Kanwal

29 March 2024

 

 

 

 

SELF-LOVE

 

          SELF-LOVE

Self-love is a virtue. Those who do not love themselves cannot love others. It is our duty to love our qualities like good health, hard work, intelligence, honesty, unselfishness, patriotism, self-improvement, dynamism,  charitableness, helpfulness, truthfulness, godliness, lasting morality, etc.

In a sense, self-love is also self-respect. It is self-regard, pride in one’s abilities and  belief in one’s worth.

However, self-love should not make us arrogant, egotistical, haughty or swollen-headed.

Somebody rightly said that self-love is a cup without any bottom; you might pour all the great lakes into it, and never fill it up.

Finally, as the French writer Voltaire (1694-1778) said :  self-love is the instrument of our preservation.; it resembles the provision for the perpetuity of mankind. ---it is necessary, it is dear to us, it gives us pleasure, and we must possess it.    

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G.R.Kanwal

27 March 2024

 

SOME QUOTES ON LIFE

 

          SOME  QUOTES ON LIFE

Life is defined in many ways. A few of them are : existence, aliveness and animation.

 

The opposite of life is death which means the body stops breathing.

 

Quotes on life are thoughts on life which describe the nature and purpose of life.

 

For example, according to American journalist Gamallel Bailey (1807-59): We live in deeds , not years; in thoughts, not breaths; in feelings ,not in figures on the dial; we should count time by heart throbs. He most lives who thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the best.

 

Another anonymous quote says : Life is a journey, not a home; a road, not a city of habitation; and the enjoyments and blessings we have are but little inns on the roadside of life, where we may be refreshed for a moment, that we may with new strength press on to the end --- to the rest that remaineth for the people of God.

 

Finally, a quote by philosopher - writer Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) : To live is not merely to breathe, it is to act; it is to make use of our organs, senses, faculties, of all those parts of ourselves which give us the feelings of existence. The man who has lived longest is not the man who has counted most years, but who has enjoyed life most.   

 

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G. R. Kanwal

26 March 2024

 

LOYALTY

 

LOYALTY

 

It is a universal truth that prosperity makes friends; adversity tries them.

Enduring loyalty is lasting faithfulness. It is steadfast, constant, trustworthy and reliable. It is greedless; does not change itself in the face of inducements, temptations  and personal gains of any kind.  

                      Unfortunately, loyalty has now become a rare thing.  It is a dangerous phenomenon.  A disloyal member not only defames himself but sometimes   destroys the existence of the whole group. It is usually true in politics.

However, to retain loyalty in a group no chance for dissatisfaction should be given to any member.  

It has been truly said  that trust is earned, respect is given, and loyalty is demonstrated.

Loyalty is the pledge of truth to oneself and others; and without loyalty it is difficult to accomplish anything.  

Finally, a healthy loyalty is not passive and complacent, but active and critical.

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G.R.Kanwal

25 March 2024

 

 

           

FRIENDS AND FRIENDSHIP

 

                   FRIENDS AND FRIENDSHIP

True fiends are boon companions, comrades, cronies, soul mates, allies, helpers, associates, supporters, benefactors, well-wishers and our second-selves. They are with us in thick and thin.

False friends are selfish. They meet us only in fair weather. It is better not to have them because they cause us pain not pleasure. They are cheats. They are full of excuses. They exploit and impoverish us whereas true friends enrich us in many ways. They heal us when we are sick.

            Friendship is fellowship. It is intimacy, close relationship, mutual affection, harmony, attachment, alliance, cordiality, kindliness, co-operation, helpfulness, self-sacrifice and love.

            It is a blessing to have a life-long true friend. A true friend is said to be the gift of God who unites hearts. According to Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667 )who was a cleric in the Church of England by friendship we should mean the greatest love, the greatest usefulness, the most open communication, the noblest sufferings, the severest truths, the heartiest counsel, and the greatest union of minds of which brave men and women are capable.

            And finally as the Greek tragedian Euripides said life has no blessing like a prudent friend.  

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G.R.Kanwal

23 March 2024

 

 

SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT FORGIVENESS

 

SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT FORGIVENESS

Forgiveness is a religious virtue. It is one of the essential qualities of a noble man. The common proverb: to err is human; to forgive, divine; cannot be challenged because God is really kind and forgiving; but humans, too, should have this divine quality in their spiritual build up.

Some synonyms of forgiveness are pardon, mercy, acquittal, absence of malice/grudge/revenge and retaliation.

Only a large-hearted person can possess the virtue of forgiving. Talking about a forgiving man American writer Ralph Waldo Emerson says “his heart was as great as the world, but there was no room in it to hold the memory of a wrong.”

 It is also true to say that never does the human soul appear so strong and noble as when it foregoes revenge and dares to forgive an injury.

According t English writer Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield (1694-1773)  little, vicious minds abound with anger and revenge, and are incapable of feeling the pleasure of forging their enemies.

Finally, remember that humanity is never so beautiful as when praying for forgiveness, or else forgiving another.

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G.R.Kanwal

22 March 2024