THE LOTUS

I just said, "Lotus," and, he reacted, "I know, I know."

I was surprised. I asked him, "You know, you know ... what?"

He replied, "Lotus is one of the most beautiful flowers, considered to be, even, sacred ... But, it is born and it lives in the muck, the ugliness."

He was right. I was about to say that. But, so old the analogy is, that he seemed, terribly bored and annoyed with it. "I know, I know," was his way of protesting any more 'bombardment'.

"Tell me, what you want to tell me about the Lotus," he had dropped his resistance, almost making me puzzled.

He was a wealthy young man. He had begun his pursuit of wealth when he was just a teen. "I want to become really rich, really very, very big." That was the resolve, that saw him to the other side of the sea. Now, in his mid-forties, the man has a dozen questions to ask. He asks them to people like me. Sometimes, our answers satisfy him. But, most of the times, they only leave him disturbed.

"Nothing is wrong with our wealth, our riches. Like King Janaka, we can be wealthy as well as noble. Lotus is great, because, it rises from the ugliness and stands gloriously 'above' it." ... I wanted to tell this to him. But, he had heard it so many times before, from so many 'gurus'. For a while, he was reluctant to hear the same old 'example' ... the same old muck.

But, he was there, the next moment, asking me to narrate the legendary 'Lotus Story'!

"I want my teenager son to study well; but, he doesn't want to study ... He wants to get into business, right away, he wants to do it big ... really, really big. Many years ago, I had decided to go on that route; and, now, my son wants to. Some how, I don't feel okay with this approach," the man told me.

My answers did not hold a key to his happiness and peace.

More than two-thousand years ago, a rich man had asked a similar question to Jesus:
"Master, I have obeyed all the commandments of God; tell me what else need I do to enter the kingdom of God?"

"Give up all your wealth and come with me," Jesus had answered.

Apparently, the wealthy man had expected a 'sensational answer' from the Master. When he heard this 'shocker', his heart sank, and he had walked away.

Referring to this man, Jesus had told the crowd, "It is as difficult for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God, as it is for a camel to enter the eye of a needle."

Our rich man has the same question, the same dilemma. "What else need I do?"

"Let your son enter the Kingdom he wants to ... till he comes to the 'narrow gate' you have come to," I advised. "You be the Lotus, you claimed 'I know, I know'."

In silence, the Lotus shone even more majestically!


GERALD D'CUNHA

Comments

Girish Dhameja said…
There are times when i really feel that the almighty has created Lotus, Diamond, not only to enjoy, educate or earn but also to learn the chapters of Life which are not meant to read and forget but to really learn and implement. I am glad that to have a teacher, "Mr D'cunha" with whom when i sit, I get up learning something or the other. Thank You sir.
Gerald D'Cunha said…
Hey Girish,

We have a teacher in all of us.

And, feel blessed that I have techers like you!

GERRY

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