Commitment

It has been more than two weeks since I wrote last. During these all days I had been thinking to write about something and I do not find a better thing than commitment. I have been trying to remain committed to something and everyday I fail. It is not as easy as it sounds. I found it to be the most difficult thing because once you say yes, you have to stick to it whether you like it or not.
Commitment is a big thing in life and those who are committed are really made of metal, some substance.

Commitment brings discipline which in turn leads to character. A man without character is not a man. He is nobody in fact. Commitment simply means- Walk like you talk. And when you start walking like you talk, you are not left with many things to talk about because you have to do what you talk and you cannot do everything. It makes you quiet and observant.

It reminds me of a story about a Chinese monk to whom a woman brought her child. The child was fond of eating sweets. The woman tried her best to forbid the child from eating so much sweets but he was not listening to her. The woman was worried for it might lead to damaging his teeth. So she brought him to the monk with a hope that the child would not disobey such a reverend person. When she told him the story the monk asked her to bring the child next week. She went to him the following week. But again he said ''not today, bring him next week''.
She went there with her son the next week but this time again she was asked by the monk to come the following week. The mother was puzzled but did not dare ask him anything. She went there again. This time the monk asked her to sit and took the child for a short walk around his garden. After sometime he came back and told the mother '' it's done. I have told him not eat sweets that much.''
The mother could not stop herself from asking him that why he took three weeks for such a small thing. The monk replied '' I was myself fond of sweets. How could I ask him not to eat if I could not live without it myself? It took me three weeks to leave it and that's why I kept on asking you to come back every week. Only today I felt I could ask him too to leave it.''

The monk was already regarded a great man by people and he could have easily asked the child without leaving his habit but he did not. The monk set an example of 'Walk like you talk'.

Humiliation

Humiliation seems to be an integral part of life to me. I do not see any end to it. It does not matter where you are and what you are, you cannot escape it. Sometimes you are humiliated and sometime you humiliate others. Even great people like Gautam Buddha and Mahavira were humiliated many a times. Buddha made his living by begging and many times he was abused by people when he knocked their doors for alms. Sometimes people threw stones at him but he never left the door until he was given something. This is how determined he was. Humiliation did not bother him.
To me, humiliation means putting yourself above someone or others and making them feel small. Being at the receiving end always puts you at the risk of humiliation. This is the rule and there is no exception. You knock the door with a hope that you would be welcome. But it is not guaranteed. The door may open knocking your nose off. It is always risky. But it is how it is. You got to take the risk if you want to win.
Yes, it is disappointing, sometimes very much, when you are turned down but there is no other way except making preparations for a new attempt.