THE BIG PICTURE





















The picture's far too big to look at, kid.
Your eyes won't open wide enough.
And you're constantly surrounded
By that swirling stream of what is and what was.
Well, we've all made our predictions,
But the truth still isn't out.
- Bright Eyes (Lyrics)


Many think I am a very patient man... calm and composed.

Well, I am not.

But, yes, I wish I were so… 

For, I value the value called ‘Patience’… I am conscious of its fruits.

So, I try my level best to make amends… I lose my cool less frequently just by being aware of my impatience.

A trick I, often, adopt, to be more patient, is this: I try to see the ‘Big Picture’.

The ‘Small Picture’ is, always, influenced by my immediate ego gratification… If someone says something nasty about me - or, even if I just get to hear the rumor about it - yes, that’s enough to make me react angrily. If someone doesn’t behave the way I expect, or if he starkly disagrees with me… I am out, immediately, with my sharp words… instinctively, almost like a beast! 

“Between the stimulus and response, there is a space,” the wise-men say. But, then, if I am dictated by the ‘Small Picture’, this space will ever be invisible.

To be able to see the space between the stimulus – the so-called trigger – and my response, I need to be inspired by the ‘Big Picture’… I need to take off my eyes from the immediate focal-point… what someone has just said about me… what I hear, see, feel or  perceive… The pain I may experience right now has to be borne, gladly just to reap the benefit of the well-being in waiting… 

Yes, the pain of the surgery, now, may have to be gladly suffered in order to save my life and family…

Yes, even if I feel like jettisoning the captain of my ship into the raging seas, and right now, I may have to put up with him till I reach the shore…

Likewise, in my family… at my workplace… everywhere else where other people are involved, where relationship and teamwork is involved… 

What I prefer, often, may have to be sacrificed...

I may have to swallow my pride…

I may have to let go my agenda…

Yes, everywhere in life, it is like that… What is immediate is not necessarily what is ‘best’…


Count ten… Ten thousand…

I find it difficult… But, I know how wide and how beautiful the experience of it is…

The pain can never become poison, if it is gladly suffered, for a larger cause…

The ‘Big Picture’… The big gains.

And, the lyrics of the song tell us more:


But if you wanna see the future,
Go stare into a cloud.
And keep trying to find your way out
Of that maze of memories. 
GERALD D’CUNHA
Pic.: Amrita Jeurkar


Comments

Anonymous said…
Good flow, loved it. Kiran
July 8, 2013 at 8:27 PM
Ullas Prabhu said…
Yes sir, Big Picture, big gains!!!!! Ullas
July 9, 2013 at 12:06 AM
Ravi Nair said…
I am aware of this concept of Big Picture though i keep making the same mistake of reacting sharply. Thanks for reminding. Yup, it helps.
--- Ravi
July 9, 2013 at 8:45 AM
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