MY GREATEST FREEDOM

Pic.: Mehul Bhuva

In 1990, THE DAWN CLUB had published a small book by the title – ‘The Zest’. It had carried some eighteen short and medium-sized passages written by me. The book instantly became one of our very popular books; and, eventually, it was reprinted several times.

We guess, one of the main reasons for its popularity was that it spoke to the reader in ‘first person’… He felt as though he was talking to himself… a soliloquy. Yes, the reader could instantly connect to the voice in the book… and, the message simply seeped into his heart!

In the coming Posts, I would like o proudly lead you through those simple yet inspiring voices…

Here is the introduction and the first voice…

Life doesn’t come with guarantees. We live, full twenty-four hours, surrounded by challenges. And living amidst all these challenges and uncertainties, call for our emotional maturity, our mental toughness. It also calls for a burning hunger in our hearts to live well.  We should learn to stand on our own feet – however inter-dependent life may be – and meet the challenges, squarely.

We cannot expect anyone else to do this for us!

Trouble starts, when we close our eyes to these ground realities – and continue to live a life of illusions. When we continue to live with self-pity and blame, feeling victimized and helpless…  Yes, when we run away from responsibility.

The problem is, that we see responsibility as some great burden, a great obligation, while the truth is: to be responsible means, to be able to take charge; yes, take charge of our own lives. And, we will never be able to take charge of our lives, as long as we do not realize, that ‘our life is our own business’!

A zestful person is one, who has reasons to get up in the morning… who has reasons to hope, try, fail and again try. A zestful person is one, who has an ambitious heart, but filled with gratitude. A zestful person is one, who never stops learning… ever.

Zest is the spring of life. It is that spirit within us, which helps us fight boredom, indifference, petty-mindedness, and, above all, self-pity. Zest keeps us forever young, purposefully busy and incorrigibly hopeful!

This little book is born out of such zest. Nothing in it is ‘original’ – there is no author to life’s secrets… They uncover before anyone who is zestful, who is thirsty to learn. So, the content of the book may or may not have any effect on the reader, depending on one’s own perception of things…

Zest cannot be learnt in the classrooms or through the textbooks… It comes like a spring from deep within…

Hope, the book will inspire in your soul the spring of life – THE ZEST!

THE ZEST: Voice 1

My greatest freedom is my freedom of choice.

Yes, things keep happening 

and circumstances can be too unpredictable;

Yes there are times,

when life may seem to reach a complete dead end...

and there are times,

when other people seem to govern my life.

The truth is:

I am still free to choose,

I can be proactive or reactive…

I am free not to feel victimized

by people and circumstances around…

That’s my greatest freedom!

 GERALD D’CUNHA