LOVE IS NEVER LOUD












Pic.: Chandrashekar Varier



“A gentle heart is tied with an easy thread.”
George Herbert


This morning, my friend, Manjeet, was talking to me on a very interesting subject: How inspiration was different from motivation. He firmly believed, that motivation came from ‘outside’… often, driven by fear, greed, comparison and competition. Hence, the change caused through motivation was short-lived. On the other hand, he believed, that inspiration came from ‘inside’, through deep insights. Hence, the change caused through inspiration was long-lived… Motivation worked on mind-level; inspiration worked on heart/spirit-level… Motivation needed effort; inspiration was effortless…

Manjeet gave an example. “Imagine, I have realized the importance of taking daily walk and do it every day. I want my wife, too, to do the same. So, I keep convincing her, but in vain. Then, one fine day, a dear friend of her succeeds where I had failed... My wife gladly goes for walk with her friend! Why didn’t the same advice work on my wife when it came from me, and why did it work when it came from her friend? Now, whether my wife will continue to walk or not depends on whether she was ‘motivated’ or ‘inspired’ to get into her walking shoes.”

Well, Manjeet’s example, though seemed a bit out-of-place, was still not complete. He added, “Now, let me watch my own reaction to my wife’s ‘change’… Do I hear me commenting, “Ha, I am not surprised! When I kept telling you, you didn't listen, didn't care.  And, now?” Or, do I feel a true gladness in my heart… ‘I am happy my wife has started walking now… For, that's what I really wanted'!”

I asked Manjeet to end our discussion at this point…

It sounded to me as a very familiar experience… How often do we comment like that! We forget what our hearts had truly desired – the well-being of our dear ones… our children, parents, spouses or friends. For, had we genuinely desired their well-being, then, why would we care as to who succeeded in bringing in our dear ones the change we had sought in them? Why are we not able to rejoice… feel the true gladness in our hearts when the change comes about?

“The Universe wants you to know, that the change in your dear ones need not come through you,” my friend Manjeet reminded me, today, “If love had inspired you to seek change in your dear ones, you would have silently celebrated when it came.”


Heart is where love springs from; inspiration comes from there…

Mind is where fear and insecurity spring from; ego comes from there…

Love is never loud!


GERALD D’CUNHA



Comments

Shilpa Patil said…
Wonderful difference between inspiration and motivation.
February 14, 2015 at 6:01 PM
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