A PORTION FOR THE WISE

Image credit: Devin Joubert

Yesterday, I came across a video on Instagram. A woman walked up to a door and started trying to open it, but try as much as she could, the door remained stubborn and refused to move. She was frustrated.

But then, a man walked up to the same door and opened it with ease. The woman stood there transfixed. Unknown to her she had been pushing the wrong door. It was a double door, one side fixed and she was pushing the fixed side.

   

"One of the great disadvantages of hurry is that it takes such a long time." 

I know this has happened to number of us. You walk into a place, and push the wrong door, just like cases of escalator, it's ok. Now, the question is, do you keep pushing the wrong door, or you stop to check what's really going on? What's happening? Why is this door not opening? What's wrong with it? We do stop to check. I wish this woman stopped to check too, but no, she kept on pushing with all her might and strength.

Why do people take time to sharpen a blunt knife, so that the usage would not take time? Same reasons Jesus spent 30 years learning, studying, preparing and fasting and then spent only three years manifesting. Being careful to ascertain what key opens a door is better than trying out all the keys, sweating and wasting your precious time.

Isn't it better to calm down and read the questions carefully to understand than rush to answer and then cancel everything later on to begin afresh.

     

"Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit."

Why the rush?! No matter how long we push the wrong door, the wrong door remains the wrong door - walk the wrong path forever - that path remains the wrong path and until we make a U turn to start afresh, we are heading for a "no light at the end of a tunnel."

Examining our own instincts, noting what we revert to and what we might be more inclined to go toward, and possibly most importantly, considering why we move ahead or backward are all necessary steps in decoding fear. Larger societal issues can also be addressed by these.

Let's always stop to check before we keep moving. Oh yes! We move! But, even at that let's always stop to ask ourselves from time to time in this life's journey if we're still moving in the right direction.