THE POWER OF PACE AND THE PAUSE





















We don’t like the hectic pace of life: the deadlines, rush, anxiety… worry and tension. No matter how well-organized we are, unexpected events pop up and our plans go haywire… Maybe, not always… but, many a times…

Like…

Our health issues or of our nearest and dearest ones…

Unexpected financial commitments…

Our subordinates remaining absent when we need them the most… Or, the boss wants us to be in the office when we are needed badly at home…

Suppliers not delivering in time… Or, we are not able to deliver to customers in time… EMI’s staring at us… A scary tax or legal notice arrives by post… Someone is hell-bent to victimize you… Or, someone comes from nowhere and rams into your car from behind… yes, when you are, already, late to reach…

You are stuck in the traffic… It is still as death!

You have gotten into a nasty argument with the autowala or your neighbor …

Your young daughter is still not home… it is 1 am… Or, your young son has gone out with his college friends… and, it is, already, 2 am…



Every transformer has its capacity… The human mind, too.

It is mind’s nature to be active… think… run, rush, panic… feel excited and anxious… feel elated and depressed, too…

Yes, pace and tension are the very essence of existence… We may not like them… We may try to avoid them… But, our living brings them along…

Yes, pace and tension are the part and parcel of living…

The transformer has to get hot…

The mind has to.



And, that’s why we need to shutdown the transformer, time to time…

The mind needs to cool off…

Run and rush, we must, if we need to live in this world… if we need to perform, achieve, succeed… But, then, we have to slow down, too… Keep our tools down, remove our helmets and gloves, switch off the machine, the transformer… and, like Jesus did so often, just leave the crowd alone, suddenly, and disappear into the mountains… just to be by oneself… Just be alone, quiet… meditative and reflective… 




Just to cool off… Just to be centered… 


and, start afresh with a new vigor and vision…



They call it ‘a retreat’…

No matter who we are – bosses or subordinates, merchants or mercenaries, teachers or the taught… politicians, police, priests or just the public… yes, all of us need to live life with the pace and tension it brings along… and, all of us have to slow down, too… Just cool off… Just go quiet, for some time!

Wishing for a life without its hectic pace will be only an idle wish… It will only frustrate us, more and more…

Ideal has, always, been this:

Like a wood-cutter does, when his saw goes blunt, we should take a break to sharpen our saws… We should slow down, cool off…

And, start afresh… and alive!



GERALD D’CUNHA

Pic.: Mehul Bhuva










Comments

Irene Lobo said…
yes agree with you; we can't do without the pace...and, thus, we appreciate the pause in life. Nice post.
= Irene
August 6, 2013 at 5:07 PM
Anonymous said…
As usual, very comforting and inspiring. Suresh
August 6, 2013 at 5:12 PM
Anonymous said…
That's the truth of existence, nicely captured.

++ Tony
August 7, 2013 at 3:51 PM
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