Let your problems go through you!

Sometimes Life’s problems will confound you. It could be a relationship tangle, a financial situation, a health crisis or a professional challenge. You will find, to your dismay, that whatever solution you attempt will just not work. Because some things are simply not meant to be. In such situations it is best to let go and accept Life for what it is! When you grieve over the Life you have you suffer. But when you accept it, while there may be pain, there will be no suffering.

Yesterday I met a man who is a master of his craft. He’s an extremely successful chef in a leading hospitality chain. We got talking. And I politely enquired about his family. He laughed heartily.

Taking a deep breath, he replied: “I have been married thrice. I got divorced twice. And widowed once. I have a 17-year-old autistic son who lives me. So, that’s my family!”

I felt sorry I had asked him that question. But he showed no signs of discomfort. Just so that we ended this subject in the conversation, I remarked: “Oh! I am sorry. Must be tough on you. But you seem to be very enthusiastic about Life!”

He said: “Sorry? Don’t be. I have realized that I cannot have a regular, normal family like many others, including you, have. I have accepted that companionship is not part of my Life’s scene! Raising my son as a single parent has been difficult but I don’t complain anymore. My problems go through me! I don’t go through any problems. Not anymore!”

His simple, matter-of-fact logic struck me hard. Indeed. Isn’t that a practical way to look at Life? We normally respond to Life’s challenges with a sense of dismay, disdain and drudgery. We always ruminate on our Life and wonder how difficult it is to go through the problems we are faced with. But here my chef friend has flipped the paradigm. His sense of acceptance has led him to a state of being unshaken, even if his Life’s stirred! His perspective of letting problems go through you, where they touch you, your Life, but you remain unmoved, is beautiful. And so very awakening!

Remember that you__and I__have not been created on this planet to suffer. Yet we suffer at the slightest hint of pain in our lives because we resist__than accept__what comes our way! When you suffer, your progress through Life slows down dramatically. Life then becomes a struggle. When you discover the art of 'not suffering', and learn to embrace pain, while praying for and forgiving the people and situations that are inflicting the pain on you, you will discover a rare energy in you that will help you live through any situation. So, whatever may be your Life situation, simply sit back and let your problems go through you! Despite all the pain, you will feel no suffering. And like my chef friend, you too will be enthusiastic about Life!