THIS CUP... YOU HAVE PLACED BEFORE ME
I heard someone saying, the other day, “Life is worth living, because, there are obstacles in it!”
“What?” I immediately heard
others reacting. The others included me, too!
All our lives, we keep praying
before Lord Ganesh – the Vigneshwara – to remove the obstacles from our path as
we go along our lives. And, this man was telling us, “Hello, thank Lord Ganesh
for placing the obstacles, in the first place!”
However we argue with our
friend’s logic, we have no option but to buy it. Yes, he is right:
“Life is great – exciting – only
because, we have to deal with and overcome our obstacles!”
As we celebrate from today this
great festival of Lord Ganesh, I thought, I would ponder a little over our
friend’s remarks.
Can Life be worth living, without
the obstacles in it?
If Ram or Krishna, if Christ or Gautama… yes, if
divine souls like these… could not do away with problems when they came to live
on this earth, how can we, the sheer mortals?
In fact, their lives are so
eventful and inspiring only because they had to overcome obstacles of such
magnitude.
Probably, we send more pleas to
Lord Ganesh to ‘remove’ the obstacles in our lives than thank-you notes for ‘placing’
the obstacles in our lives. He is the same Lord responsible for both – for placing
and removing our obstacles!
And, who else knows – what is
good for us - better than He does?
As
a Christian, I grew up praying to Jesus Christ to help me deal with my
obstacles… even though I knew – and still know – that He himself had to
gracefully accept His own. “My Father, do away this cup (this test) from me.
But, if it can not be done, unless I drink it, Thy will be done!”
Obstacles are placed by our Lord
Himself… Yes, it is His will!
Lord Ganesh, grant me the wisdom
to ‘know’ it… and yes, the serenity to ‘accept’, too.
A happy Ganesh Chaturti to all of
you.
GERALD D’CUNHA
Pic.: Manoj Nair
Comments
Seema