More than our pursuit of happiness, we want to know what the future holds for us. Of course, we don’t want to spoil all the surprises. We do want the jolt of apprehension. But our millennium-old experiences made us accept, grudgingly, that we can never quite figure out this dilemma: to know about the unseen episodes of our life and be surprised at the same time when we reach there. With this assumption, we begin a process to create our so-called prosperous future, one that exists only in our minds. During this tenure, we strike forcefully at the things we perceive – sometimes mistakenly – as a threat. The reaction is our “fight or flight” instinct.
Sometimes we box ourselves in a cocoon and don’t recognize even our image while inside it. We draw lines to separate us; we run to avoid others or become addicted to substances to numb pains from sorrows. We often take our blessings for granted and fail to recognize what could have been most beneficial for us. We tarnish our innocence.
There are many antidotes to cure these blemishes of our psyche. One tool is often overlooked by many. You may very well call it an impurity – something similar to what gold jewelers must use when they make ornaments, and to give them structure. Many people view this mechanism as a sign of self-delusion. But if we use it wisely and faithfully, then our life – a pandemonium of stumbles over unforeseen events – becomes endurable. The tool is “hope.” We ought to mend our hearts with it and must believe, against all the odds, that someday our pain will be soothed away by good destiny, just like monsoon rain rinses dirt and debris. Even if our relief is brief, “hope” is the only solace; really!