Don't forget to Take your Lamp

A blind man lived in a hut in a small village with ten to fifteen families as it was in a dense forest. He lived alone and earned his living by making earthen pots and selling them. Every night after having dinner he would go for a walk around the village and then came back to sleep. But there was something strange about his walk. Although he was blind, he used to carry a lighted lamp with him everyday to his walk.

Many years passed and he followed the same routine from morning to evening and in the night he would never step out of his house without the lamp. People of the village found his action very weird and funny and laughed on his back. One day when the old man left his home for his daily walk, some teenagers passed by and made fun of him, "Hey blind man" they said, "Has your brain stopped working along with your eyes? Of what use is this lamp to you? This lamp is not going to show you the way anyhow"; and they ridiculed him.

Before they could walk away, the man said "You are right son! This lamp cannot show the way to me, but who said I need this to find my way? Despite being a blind man I am able to do all my chores and to go to any place in this village without fail, far better than you could do in the darkness without a lamp. Oh and this lamp? I have to carry this lamp with me in the night so that fools like you can see me from a distance and don't bump into me or hurt me in their blind over confidence. This is for my own safety".

Ashamed and speechless, the teenagers turned their backs and walked away.

Man is a social animal. This is an easy text we learnt by heart in primary classes but actually understood after growing into an adult, how difficult it is to maintain the same when you have to put up with someone so special,

be it a manner less colleague, a difficult roommate, an exasperating neighbour, a judgemental boss, a non cooperating subordinate, a nagging wife, an indifferent husband, a jealous foe-turned-friend, an annoying relative or anyone else who disables the social part and stimulates the animal inside you.

The person at this stage generally asks this question- "Why is it only me who has to ensure that nobody gets hurt?", "Why is everyone asking me to keep calm and not telling that nasty person how to behave?", "Why should I behave in a well mannered way when that person does not give a damn?", "Why did my parents raise me like an angel in an era of demons all around?"

So clearly these are not the things we generally prefer. We don't want to carry a lamp because we already know the way. We want others to be careful and efficient enough go their own ways without bothering us.

Life, in terms of predictability and constancy is as dark as the night in the forest. You never know what will happen in the future, whom will you meet and for how long you will stay together. However with mature grooming, experience and virtuous personality you can gain the confidence and skills to traverse the way in the darkness. That is applaud-able and appreciable as you are a fortunate person to deserve the same. But for the other half which is less fortunate as you are, you need to lighten a lamp and carry it with you. The light of the lamp here denotes Wisdom, Kindness, Empathy, Forgiveness, Generosity, Love, Compassion and most importantly- Happiness!

Lighten up your lamp and carry it with you wherever you go; because if you are a good and honest person, you cannot expect it from everyone around. Think about it, If you won noble prize, you would proudly show it to people and tell them that it is not at all easy or common to receive. How would you feel proud if the whole world possessed the Nobel prize? No. Similarly if they all would be equally honest and good, what would be special about you?

So the next time you get furious on a nasty person for his foolishness, selfishness or cruelty, just think the other way around and you might be surprised-

• If he is doing it out of foolishness, smile at him, you are Wise.
• If he is helpless, help him, you are Kind.
• If he hates you, forgive him, you have a big heart.
• If he is jealous of you, don't bother, you are already better.
• If he is trying to hurt you, don't be, you are stronger.
• If he hides the reason, empathise him, you are generous.
• If he is has no reason to do so but still does the same on purpose, I would like to share my idol and very wise father, Dr R K Mishra's brilliant thought- "We feel so sympathetic for the handicapped, because they are not physically sound like us. But when we meet a person who is not emotionally, mentally and logically sound as we are, we get furious! Why? Have sympathy, pray for them and thank God for giving you a better approach to life".

As long as you believe that you are on the receiving end, you will feel vulnerable and helpless and the whole world will seem to exploit you, underestimate you, ignore you or hurt you. But once you switch sides and light your lamp, you will always find yourself bright, confident and contented enough to walk ahead without fear and let others know that you are someone special. And if a blind man living alone in the woods can switch sides and take control, why can't you? 

Hence never feel like a loser because you are carrying the lamp. 

You are carrying it because only you can eradicate the darkness and have light, love and happiness all around you.