When eyes are opened

Why is it that ‘celebrity’ is such an admired and celebrated status in today’s times?

These are normal individuals who are separated from us only by a particular talent, which is being put to publicly-visible use. What makes them worthy of an elevated status? A pedestal which places them way up there, while the masses below stand in awe of their particularly attractive feature, be it looks, talent, or any other.

You know, idolatry is alive and well in the 21st century. There are entire industries built on it: magazines, entertainment channels, tabloids.

Why are so many people sucked into the vortex of superficiality that is perpetuated by this concept of celebrity, and these industries which feed off the vain desires and lusts inherent in each one of us?

These desires, though, can be controlled. We just need to realise that, make the choice, then avoid the environment which tempts us into this indulgence.

It’s amazing how – for whatever reason – once you leave a way of life which you were so accustomed to; a way which so vastly occupied your thoughts, those things fade away into insignificance.

You can live without them.

You do live without them.

You see there’s more to life.

You pass this phase, and hopefully, you move onto something better.

Maybe the pattern of consumption remains within you; and you now apply that pattern, subconsciously, to your new interest. But the content has changed. Hopefully for the better.

Surround yourself with the influences you think are right for your future. The people, things and places which you think will take you closer to your dreams…what you aspire to be.

When you reach old age, and look back on your life, let it be a life spent in worthwhile pursuits; and not one in frivolity and meaningless consumption.

All will perish in this world. But what remains, eternally, is your deeds; and the choices you make, for which you will be held accountable.

May we all be guided to the right things in life, and get the ability to see things as they really are: to open our eyes, and see the deceivers around us for what they really are.

And have the resolve to try to change what we need to, and the strength to keep going, especially when those forces of wrong try to lure us back to our previous ignorance.

When eyes are opened, the world becomes clear.

Stop

There’s a lot to be said for delayed reactions: Stopping yourself from instinctively reacting. Forcing yourself to not go the usual route, and trying to take the situation in, see the bigger picture and the good in it; then decide how you WANT to respond.

When you can do that, I think a degree of success has been bestowed on you in terms of how to manage the trials of this life.

This has been a tremendously trying last month for me, with life being a rollercoaster of experiences – good, bad, and most definitely challenging.  And *how* badly I respond to such challenges has been exposed, over and over again. I’m sad to say: I fail. Many times, I just fail.

There’s an impulsiveness in me. A spoilt little kid, who wants everything his way, and often lets his first reactions – whether expressed or held in – be one of selfishness: “what does this mean for me?”. “How does this affect what I had in mind?

But when you face a barrage of such difficult situations, and you see yourself falling short again and again, you begin to realise that you’re supposed to be learning from these mistakes. You’re supposed to be realising that there’s something fundamentally wrong within you, and the only way that’s going to change is if you yourself recognise your flaws, and commit yourself to changing, improving, being better than what your instinctive self has been all this time.               

I never imagined life could be this insane. I never thought a person could be subjected to so much ‘trouble’ – so much confrontation, so much turmoil, so many home truths being shoved in your face in such succession.

But it is as it was meant to be; and the brutal honesty is something we all need; especially if we’ve lived most of our lives in our own worlds – as is the case with me.

Life’s challenges can make you or break you. They are there to put you in your place: show you when you aren’t living up to the standards you should be; either those placed on you by others, but especially those you aspire to for yourself.

Difficulty builds character. It is a blessing, a gift from our Creator, to shape and mould us into a better form. To bring us out of complacency and false comfort, and push us to strive for what we know is right.

Strive to rise above the superficiality and fickleness of the visible life; and remember that we each have, within us, a beautiful soul which yearns for the real life.

And how we handle things in this life, largely, is an indication of what awaits us once the curtains are closed, and we face the true reality which every soul shall taste. 

With hardship comes ease. And without hardship, we wouldn’t appreciate the ease when we do have it.

So, next time you’re faced with something which immediately demands your reaction, take a moment to stop, think, then respond in the way which portrays the best of your ambitions for who you want to be.