YOU ARE BECAUSE OF YOU ALONE

Many people tend to blame others for their wrong practices and bad habits. “I have not studied because my parents are uneducated”, “I am addicted to alcohol because my father is a drunkard or my friends forced me into it”, “I take bribe because everyone else does it” “I ate more because the host compelled me to eat more”, “I hate my brother/sister because my parents love him/her more”.  These type of complaints and comments are heard (and said also) many a times.  These people never take the responsibility of their lives while ‘enjoying’ what they do.

My contention is that we are doing what we are doing not because others compel us to do it, but because we like to do it and do not want to take the responsibility of it. While we know that what we are in is not right, we shirk from the responsibility and put the blame on others.

We are what are because of us alone.  We did not want to study, but instead of taking the responsibility of not studying we put the blame on circumstances.  We want to eat more, but do not want others to know that we love to eat; hence we put the responsibility to the host’s shoulder.

I know two brothers of whom one is addicted to alcohol and the other a teetotaler. When asked why so, the reply of the first was that his father was a drunkard and hence he also became so.  The teetotaler’s comment was interesting.  He said “My father was a drunkard and I have gone through very bad situations because of it. In the childhood itself I have decided, I shall  not touch alcohol which has never given peace in our family.”

Please remember that we are the masters/mistresses of our lives.  Do not put the blame on others or circumstances for our actions and reactions. Be responsible about our words, actions and reactions. 

You can communicate your opinions with me via email: gvkallumpuram@gmail.com

YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE, HENCE LIVE IT FULLY

Our attitudes create our lives. Our approach to life changes as per our attitude. Two acronyms – YOLO and YODO are in circulation as trends of the day.

YOLO is the acronym of YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE. It is reported that in the census of New Zealand last year, those who hold this philosophy started a campaign to make it a religion by filling out YOLO under the Religion section. It is said In a BBC trending report that since 2010, the #YOLO has been used 20 million times on Twitter to demonstrate how people embrace life to the fullest. The followers of this philosophy hold that there is only one life to live and hence take pleasure in it as much you can - enjoying each moment, exploring everything possible and entering into new arenas even if it invites risk of life. 

YODO (YOU ONLY DIE ONCE) as a philosophy counters YOLO. They try to advocate that just like you live once, you die also once. Hence stop living hazardously - bringing danger to yourself, your dear ones and the people and things around – physically, emotionally or psychologically. There is only one life to live and there is only one life to die, does not mean that we should lavish it indulging in all kinds of (in Malayalam we say, adichu polikkuka which is almost equivalent to eat. drink and be merry, for you shall die tomorrow).

Depending on how you perceive and apply a philosophy in life, you shall be. No philosophy should take a person to indulge in any kind of activities that ignore the human worth. We are only species that can think differently and act differently. We are the only ones who can be of help and support to the eco-system. A story is said about a seer who had the ability to see the future. A group of young people wanted to test this ability and they caught a sparrow, held it by one in his fist and went to him. They asked the seer, “Sir, you are well known in saying the future. Please tell us whether the sparrow in his hand is dead or alive.” The seer said, “It shall be what you want it to be.” Their heinous plan was to crush the sparrow and kill it if the seer said it is alive or help it fly off if he said it is dead. The seer knew it and he answered the above. Hence beware of how you live your life for you have only one life to live and one life to die in this world. Your 'today' determines your 'tomorrow' (eternity). You are to be innovative, creative and productive. But at the same time remember that your innovations, creativeness and productive mind set should not take you to the level of harming yourself and others.

You can communicate your opinions with me via email: gvkallumpuram@gmail.com