Imagine a world where mirror hasn't been invented yet. How would one know how they look like ? There would be significant cut in opportunities to compare 'how do I look' thereby leaving some room to feel 'how do I look from inside'. Our lives will evolve like everything else in this creation i.e let it blossom naturally through interactions with both good and bad natured humans. Latter ones shows us how not to live our lives.
This isn't to say that we show apathy to decorations or that fashion business, a multi trillion dollar industry in itself, is to blame for all this mess. Its about need in equal measure to look at reflection within mirror of our Being. Am I on-course to ruin my today due to someone else's acts yesterday ? Should I buy better car than my neighbour even though there isn't a need ? Do I value myself by my possessions and social status in world rather than lack of attachments within that bestows priceless peace that even the richest-of-rich dream of ? Is my day's worth evaluated by how busy am I or money earned today rather than how deeper I sat with God before I left to work ? An affirmative yes for these indicates a scar on our Soul's face that needs an immediate fix-up.
No matter how magnificient a light bulb's glass looks from surface, what matters most is its fine filament whose strength lies in enduring the power its deriving from energy source in-order to radiate light. Fragrance of our inner peace reaches much further than our cologne. One's empathic personality attracts more real friends in real world than virtual followers on instagram liking our skin-deep shines. Seeds of dharma that we sow in our children yield much sweeter fruits for their future than attending to their whimsical wishes without teaching them its true value.
Shantanu was gifted his first car by his Dad. He loved it and kept its exterior spick-and-span. Day when he planned for a long road-trip with his friends, its engine threw a wrench. Thats when he realized that car is more than just paint which needs even more attention towards its driving force and internals with due maintenance.
One of main reasons life in current generation is more challenging than our ancestors is due to myriad more ways our world now grabs attention towards its surface in the name of entertainment. A word Hero these days evokes memories of celebrities from (h/b/t/k..)ollywoods or sport-stars and not the ones who changed the fabric of society where we live now comfortably. These unsung heroes are amongst Soldiers who save our dear lives protecting nation borders, Scientists working in laboratories finding cure for diseases, Geniuses demonstrating creative power of great thoughts and Yogis whose words can touch our souls and show path to betterment of mental, physical and spiritual health.
Up until dawn of Television, we had to drive miles to theaters or stadiums to get entertained once a month. Cable-TV brought it to our living rooms. Internet brought it to our office desks. Thanks to last decade's mobile innovation, we now have it right in our hands so we don't miss a beat without being taken into a virtual world that's way off the ground reality. This is not to undermine benefits of technological advancements but to rather treat it as a double-edged sword that needs discreet discrimination in its daily use. Technology doesn't translate to better lives but is rather just a tool to change how we live. Its up to each one of us on how we make use of that surplus time we gained by letting machines do the labor.
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