294ste Spiritmail

By Karmayogi

Waiting patiently for
things far out of one's reach is aspiration. It takes time for them to be
fulfilled, but they will surely be accomplished. Aiming at things one does not
deserve on any showing is sterile ambition and helps one to lose what he
already has.

The rule works in two opposite ways for people of two opposite endowments. A
goal and an aim are essential. An aimless life achieves nil. Discipline is
necessary. A life devoid of discipline is worthless. What one aims for matters,
but how he does it matters more.

Sometimes children accomplish on the strength of parental endeavour. Aspiration
is the right motive; ambition is not. The Force I speak of on earth supports
aspiration. Devotees achieve on the strength of that Force. Aspiration for the
right thing always comes true.

Sometimes even on the strength of another's aspiration, one's
unrealistic ambitions are realised. Most of the illustrations I have been
citing qualify for that description.

A friend suggested to an executive in an advertising company to acquire a two
wheeler, giving up his cycle. The executive replied, “Many friends tell
me the same thing, but I do not want a two wheeler, I am waiting for a four
wheeler.” In about two years, he lost his job.

In the last ten years he had secured no job. For a short while, he had one on
half the previous pay. He could not retain it for long. In our cultural
context, non-earning members are often supported by other family members. One
such family was supported by others for 28 years.

This man had such an ambition to educate his son in the Sainik School. The result was he
took a degree that did not secure him a job even on Rs. 1500 in the eighties or
nineties. This Force is Grace. Grace offers even ambition what aspiration too
cannot hope for. That happens all the time. It lasts when ambition readily
transforms itself into aspiration. At that moment, as a rule we hear the voice
of ambition, “Please try to change my ambition into aspiration.”

It was suggested to one who had no cycle nor the means to acquire a cycle that
he learn cycling so that, out of kindness, a cycle could be procured for him to
lessen his onerous duties, which included a long walk every day more than once.

That person answered, “Who travels on a cycle now-a-days? Even the
milkman is using a two wheeler.” There ended the offer. The long walk
remained a long walk. The onerous duties lengthened. But the compassion in the
offer remained active as it came from the Force. It brought a boon a hundred
times greater than the value of a cycle.

Human refractoriness remains as perverse as it is capable of. In an atmosphere
of freedom, the Force sails into action. The same atmosphere releases the naked
ambitions of human nature in a greater measure. Human emotions are in a grade
of pity, sympathy, compassion, Grace.

As the Force moves the springs of compassion, it is not hurt or offended by
perversities. We can move to better attitudes.