What happens “to you” in Life is not in your control

Everything is in your control when you realize that nothing’s in your control.

The paradoxes of Life simplify it, as long as you can see them and accept them! The problem with education is that it makes us argue and reason with everything that comes our way. While it is good in most respects, in the matter of dealing with Life, we must realize that its simple realities are non-negotiable. Because we don’t realize this, we refuse to accept a simple, irrefutable truth that when we give up control__of people, things and events__they just come back to us. We try to control because we think we are in control. Wrong. We are just witnesses, observers. What we have control over is how we respond__not react__to situations and not really in the way the situations themselves occur!

Osho, the Master, tells the story of the Buddha. The Buddha was passing through a village. The people of that village were against him, against his philosophy, so they gathered around him to insult him. They used ugly words, vulgar words. The Buddha listened. Ananda, the Buddha’s disciple, who was with him, got very angry, but he couldn’t say anything because the Buddha was listening so silently, so patiently, rather as if he was enjoying the whole thing. Then even the crowd became a little frustrated because he was not getting irritated and it seemed as if he was enjoying. The Buddha said,"Now, if you are finished, I should move – because I have to reach the other village soon. They must be waiting just as you were waiting for me. If you have not told me all the things that you thought to tell me, I will be coming back within a few days, then you can finish it.” Somebody from the crowd said, "But we have been insulting you, we have insulted you. Won’t you react? Won’t you say something?” The Buddha said, "That is difficult. If you want a reaction from me, then you are too late. You should have come at least ten years ago, because then I used to react. But I am now no longer so foolish. I see that you are angry, that’s why you are insulting me. I see your anger, the fire burning in your mind. I feel compassion for you. This is my response – I feel compassion for you. Unnecessarily you are troubled."

So beautiful, isn't it? Another's thoughts and actions are not in your control. What happens to you in Life is not in your control. When you awaken to this reality, you discover that you are in control only of yourself, only of how you respond! From that clarity, bliss is born! Then everything that matters fills your Life__love, peace, good health and joy!