PEOPLE AROUND - A MIRROR OF OURSELVES

A psychologist was doing research on love and hate. He asked some fifteen university students to write down, within a minute, the names of classmates they considered worth hating.  One couldn’t write anything down; others jotted down a few names; one   listed fourteen. A very surprising truth was shown by this experiment. The ones who mentioned the most names also proved to be those most disliked by their schoolfellows - but the most wonderful and meaningful thing was that the name of the student who couldn't write any was not included in anyone else's list at all.  

The people we meet and acquaint with often prove to be mirrors.  We have to accept the fact that we see our reflection in others.   If we have hatred in us, we will find others hateful and if we have love in us, we will find others loving.  Our hatred itself creates hatred in the person whom we associate with and the vice versa.  When the farmers from Central Travancore (villages in the mid-region of Kerala) were migrating to Malabar (villages of northern region of Kerala) a farmer went to a local person and asked, “I am coming from Central Travancore looking for a place to settle.  How are the people here?”  To this the local person asked, “How were the people in your neighborhood?” and the reply was, “They were very bad, always quarrelling with us and giving us headaches.  That is the main reason why we have decided to move from that place.” Then the other replied, “People here are much worse.  Moreover, there are wild animals also.”  He went off.  After a few days, another person from Central Travancore came and asked the same person the same question and the first person’s response was the same. Then the one who came told, “The neighborhood was very good and were very kind.  But because of financial liabilities, we had to sell our small parcel of land with the hope that we shall get enough land here to cultivate and have a living.” The reply was, “Here also the people are very good natured and helpful.  I shall come with you to find a parcel of land.  May God bless you!” 

As read somewhere, “There are only two ways to escape the anguish of being one-eyed - you cure the other eye or you convince yourself everyone else is blind.  Pretending others have lost their sight is much easier.   You don't have to do anything.  Imagination is enough.”    

Learn to use the relationships to look for our true self – use them as a mirror.  We constantly meet ourselves in others. When our heart is full of love we will see love in everyone else.  And ultimately this experience will bring us face to face with God.    What appears outside is not reality; it is the reflection of what is inside us.   Please remember: I am my own enemy and I am my own friend.