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Editorial
The Illusion of Control
Majority of our grief stems from our desire to
control things around us. We do not just want
to own things, we want to control them.
[There is an illusion of control we create for
ourselves, for our pseudo satisfaction.] This is
sure recipe for disaster. That we simply can’t
control things or happenings around us is a
fact that must be accepted at a conscious level.
[So what if we are dying to tell our boss that
it’s okay to be late or wish to see our spouse
listen to us when we speak or better still
wishing to win each cricket match played with
Pakistan!]
But things have their own way of taking
shape. The Great Designer up in the heavens,
alone , knows what or which shape of the
things is better for us. But we keep brooding
over things we can’t have any control over, and
which reduces us to be complaining creatures
or worse still turns us into cynics.
Let this illusion of control go! Once we do this ,
calm descends ; and we are able to think in a
rational way.
Certainly we can’t control the things around
us, but surely it’s possible to control our
reactions to it. Our behavior alone is what we
have control over.We can choose to be angry,
fuming, weeping or shouting when someone
or something hurts us or we may just smile and
do not let others have the comfort of enjoying
our suffering. How we respond to a crisis or say
situation [social or individual] is important. We
can hold night long candle light vigils or go on
long marches as pleases our changing whims.
But we can also think of doing something
constructive something positive for our nation,
for our community; may be , helping a poor
neighborhood kid with his Maths lessons ,
sharing a few good jokes with our lonely elders
or earning some extra bucks to be donated
entirely for a good cause? The choice is ours.
Peace to you all.
Ms.Asma Anjum Khan
Quotes about children
"The test of the morality of a society is what it does
for its children."
~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer
"The big majority of Americans, who are
comparatively well-off, have developed an ability to
have enclaves of people living in the greatest misery
almost without noticing them."
~ Gunnar Myrdal
"To give up the task of reforming society is to give up
one's responsibility as a free man."
~ Alan Paton
"O God, to those who have hunger, give bread, and to
us who have bread, give the hunger for justice."
~ Prayer from Latin America
"True evangelical faith, cannot lie dormant, it clothes
the naked, it feeds the hungry,
it comforts the sorrowful, it shelters the destitute, it
serves those that harm it,
it binds up that which is wounded, it has become all
things to all creatures."
~ Menno Simons, Founder of the Mennonites
"The day that hunger is eradicated from the earth,
there will be the greatest spiritual explosion the world
has ever
known. Humanity cannot imagine the joy that will
burst into the world on the day of that great
revolution."
~ Federico Garcia Lorca, Spanish poet and dramatist
"If a free society cannot help the many who are poor,
it cannot save the few who are rich."
~ John F. Kennedy
"Others have questioned if hunger exists in our
country; I can tell you that hunger does exist in this
country. For
Emma Goldman, author
"No one has yet fully realized the wealth of sympathy,
kindness and generosity hidden in the soul of a child.
The effort of every true education should be to unlock
that treasure."
Mohandes Ghandi, political and spiritual leader in
India
"If we are to teach real peace in this world, and if we
are to carry on a real war against war, we shall have to
begin with the children."
He who sleeps on a full stomach whilst his neighbour
goes hungry is not one of us.” (Prophet Muhammad)
Bakhabar
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