One fine day in the office while we are into some trivial discourse with one of my colleagues, Mr. Ashok Kumar, he mentions about their agricultural land in Haryana where they cultivate wheat and paddy, “...and we cultivate high quality paddy!” The words ‘high quality’ excites me. These words kept ringing in my mind.
I am asking myself what would be the response one may get if any random person working in the paddy fields back in Zodawn is asked about what he does for his livelihood? Will he respond contentedly or disappointedly with a very low self-esteem? I asked a home maker what would be her response if she happens to stumble upon one of her class mate in her school days who asks her what she is doing. “I will tell her that I do nothing,” she replied.
I don’t say she gave her the wrong answer. She can answer as she pleases. Sometimes back, I participated in a training programme on ‘Human Resources and Personality Development’ at Kolkata where the trainer talked about four different types of attitudes of human being:- 1) ‘You are OK; But I’m not OK’ 2) ‘I am OK; But you aren’t OK’ 3) ‘You aren’t OK; And I’m not OK’ and 4) ‘You are OK; And I’m OK.’ The fourth one is a right attitude while the rest are faulty attitudes, the trainer said. ‘You aren’t OK; And I’m not OK’ which means neither you nor I am fine, let whatever be, is the worst kind of attitude which can be a threat to the live of others not mentioning the destruction, even to the extreme step, it may cause to oneself.
“Even though you might not be earning a monthly salary or sort of, you should not tell her that you do nothing,” I suggest the home maker whether it would not be better to reply in this way, “I am engaging in a very important task of looking after a family, giving my best effort in the upbringings of my children, helping them to excel in their lives? If we enthusiastically endeavour whatever we do with positive attitude, God might be more pleased to make us successful.”
We cannot see any thing positive about others when we ‘ourselves’ are crooked. We still miss to see the positive side of others however constructive they may be. We wrongly perceive their confidence for pride and take them as being conceited, arrogant and disdainful. Of course, some people are, in fact, boastful. People’s attitudes are theirs, no doubt; yet, we must set ours straight so that we can have a healthy mind. Having the right attitude is more important than how people dealt with us.
There is a story, whether fictitious or not, I am not sure of, goes like this. Two men coming from different directions met at a bridge. One man disrespectfully declares, “I never give way to others in my life.” The other person gives way and gently said, “But I do.” Both of them can proceed without wasting their time. Who do you think possesses a healthier attitude? Humbling oneself for the sake of others is benevolence.and essential for peaceful co-existance.
“Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behavior. Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi.
Lunggel Thelnah Tungpan | Lungput | Peek 122-123
