PEOPLE CROSS OUR PATH NOT WITHOUT A REASON






Do we have a choice over the people who cross our path? From my own experience, the answer to this question is:‘Yes’ and ‘No’.

I had no choice over my parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts, siblings, cousins and my teachers. I had a choice when it came to choosing my spouse… But, again, when I deeply reflect on it: Did I have a choice? What about my son? Thousands of students who have crossed my path? Scores o associates, neigbours, and acquaintances? What about the most positive people and what about the most negative? Did I have a choice over any of them?

Maybe I had… May be I hadn’t.

The question, today, should not be whether or not we have a choice over the people who cross our path… The question should be: whether they cross our path with or without a reason.

To this, my answer is: “Yes, they do cross our path with a reason.” Mind, you, they all… the best and the worst… the little ones, the young ones and the old ones… the prettiest and the ugliest… the most constructive and the most destructive… the most uplifting and the most oppressive… Yes, every one of them crosses our path with a reason…

And, that reason is: to reform us into fine human beings,… very compassionate and productive, very strong and sensitive.

Every day I battle with these thoughts: Could I have avoided some people in my life and, thereby, some of my most unpleasant experiences? The more I think about it, the more I get convinced, that those people were destined to cross my path and, therefore, I could not avoid those experiences … This wisdom comes only from looking back and not looking forward… And, when I see them in silence, the pieces fit into the jigsaw puzzle perfectly well… and, all dots seem connected… The meaning and the reason unfold before my mind with crystal clarity… There is no bad experience… There is no waste… Leave alone regret, blame or victim-hood…

Acceptance calls for great humility. With acceptance, peace comes to reside in our hearts… And, when peace comes in, the light – the wisdom – comes…. Everything and everyone seem to cross our path for our own good… When they go, they leave us reformed… or deformed…

And, I think, here is where we have a choice: to let ourselves to be reformed or deformed when people cross our path.

GERALD D’CUNHA
Pic.: Shraddha Sachdev

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