The following is NOT for those who are easily bored....... BALANCE, THE RING THAT HOLDS THE KEYS OF LIFE. (A PHILOSOPHICAL RECIPE). AS TIME GOES BYE & I’VE GROWN OLDER & HOPEFULLY WISER. CERTAIN THINGS HAVE BEEN & STILL ARE BEING REVEALED TO ME ON A DAILY BASIS. AFTER ALL, EVERY DAY WE LEARN SOMETHING NEW ABOUT LIFE & EVEN OURSELVES. THAT IS, IF WE ARE AWARE & OPEN TO “THE FEED”. AS THE SAYING GOES, ONE IS NEVER TOO OLD TO LEARN & IF WE BELIEVE OTHERWISE, WE ARE MERELY IN A STATE OF STAGNATION. AND I DO NOT WISH TO BE A CITIZEN OR EVEN A MEMBER OF THAT “NATION”. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS BEEN REVEALED TO ME OVER & OVER AGAIN, IS THAT KNOWLEDGE IS ONLY REALISED WHEN IT HAS BEEN “DETECTED, DISSECTED, EVALUATED, UNDERSTOOD & SHARED”. THE STRENGTH OF KNOWLEDGE I BELIEVE, LIES IN IT’S BEING SHARED. I HAVE ALSO COME TO REALISE THAT PRAISE & CRITICISM, SHARE AN EQUAL MEASURE OF IMPORTANCE IN OUR LIVES. LIKE THE PRINCIPLE OF “YIN & YANG”, IN ONE’S LIFE. IT IS “BALANCE” THAT IS IMPORTANT, AS IT KEEPS US FOCUSSED, MEASURED & ABOVE ALL, GROUNDED. WE MORTALS, OFTEN FALL PREY TO THE INTOXICATING NATURE OF PRAISE, WHILE WE CONSIDER CRITICISM TO BE THE ENEMY OF OUR WELL BEING & A REBUKE OR A DENT TO OUR SELF ESTEEM. WE THINK THAT WE HAVE NO ALTERNATIVE BUT TO FEEL WE HAVE FAILED, SHOULD ANY CRITICISM COME OUR WAY. THAT IS IN NO WAY TRUE. BE CAREFUL OF THAT PITFALL, AS IT NOT ONLY STYMIES OUR SPIRIT, BUT CLOSES US OFF TOWARDS LEARNING TO IMPROVE OR BETTER OURSELVES OR THAT WHICH WE ARE WORKING ON. BE IT PHYSICAL, SPIRITUAL OR EVEN OF MATERIAL SUBSTANCE. TOO MUCH FOCUS IS PLACED ON PRAISE & WINNING AT ALL COSTS, NO MATTER WHO WE STEP ON OR EVEN TRAMPLE ON, IN OUR QUEST TO SUCCEED. THIS IS BOTH INHUMANE & DOWNRIGHT SELF CENTRED. IT COULD & OFTEN DOES, CLOUD THE MIND FROM IMPROVING OR RECEIVING EVEN MORE KNOWLEDGE, AS FEELING “OVER ESTEEMED” CAN GIVE ONE THE IMPRESSION OF FALSE ATTAINMENT AND SELF IMPORTANCE ABOVE THE DEGREE OF HUMANITY, VESTED IN EACH & EVERYONE OF US. ONE REACHES A STATE OF THINKING THAT THERE IS NO MORE TO BE LEARNED, OR THAT WE HAVE REACHED THE PINNACLE OF KNOWING & UNDERSTANDING. THUS CLOSING OFF THE HUNGER OR DESIRE TO LEARN. INSULAR SELF IMPORTANCE IS THE DRUG, OR STATE OF EXISTENCE, THAT KILLS THE MIND & BECOMES THE U TURN ON THE ROAD OF LEARNING, KNOWLEDGE & UNDERSTANDING. IT IS THE CANCER THAT REPLACES HUMILITY, THE GIFT OF THE TRULY WISE & IN ADDITION TO THAT, DESTROYS THE SOUL. IT LEADS INTO THE PITFALLS & QUICKSAND OF ARROGANCE & FURTHER STYMIES THE ART OF LEARNING & ULTIMATELY GROWING TRUE VALUES. IT APPEARS TO HAVE BECOME THE DRUG OF CHOICE OF THOSE WHO ARE ACTUALLY INSECURE OF THEIR ABILITIES & THEMSELVES TO HAVE A FEELING OF UNCONCERNED INDIFFERENCE TOWARDS OTHERS. I HAVE OFTEN SEEN ADULATION CLOUD PERSPECTIVE. ESPECIALLY WHEN A LACKLUSTRE PERFORMANCE OR DEED IS GREETED WITH HOWLS OF PRAISE & EVEN THUNDEROUS APPLAUSE. IT DOES NOT DO THE RECEIVER ANY GOOD, BUT RATHER SENDS THEM DOWN THE ROAD OF FALSE IMPRESSIONS & ULTIMATELY, MEDIOCRITY. IT OFFERS A FALSE IMPRESSION OF THE QUALITY OF THE DEED OR ACTION. OBVIOUSLY, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN POSITIVE & NEGATIVE CRITICISM & CRITICISM BASED ON THE CRITIC’S OWN INSECURITY OR THE POSSIBILITY THAT THEY HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE SUBJECT ON WHICH THEY OFFER THEIR CRITICISM. THE ONE SHOULD NOT BE CONFUSED WITH THE OTHER. THEY COME FROM TOTALLY DIFFERENT BASES, UNDER THE BANNER OF, OR DISGUISED AS CRITICISM. CRITICISM IS SOMETHING THAT MANY OF US FIND HARD TO TAKE, OR EVEN UNDERSTAND. YES, IT CAN OFTEN BE HARSH. ESPECIALLY IF DELIVERED IN THE FORM OF A REBUKE. EVEN THAT, IS OF NO BENEFIT, EITHER TO THE PERSON BEING REBUKED OR THE REBUKER. IT OFFERS THE REBUKER A FALSE SENSE OF IMPORTANCE & THE REBUKED, AN AVENUE FOR NEGATIVE RETORT. A REBUKE IS LIKE A HARD OBJECT HITTING THE WATER. IT SENDS OUT CONCENTRIC WAVES WHICH ULTIMATELY STRETCHES OUT TO INCLUDE THE PERSON WHO INITIATED IT & COULD EVEN AFFECT THOSE NOT INVOLVED BUT MERELY IN THE VICINITY. THE LARGEST CIRCLE WILL BE NOTED AS BEING THE FURTHEST FROM THE POINT OF IMPACT. A LESSON OFTEN UNSEEN BY MANY. A REBUKE HAS THE LEAST POSITIVE EFFECT ON THE PERSON IT IS AIMED AT. IT ONLY RESULTS IN THE PERSON WHO SHOULD BE ASSISTED, OR ENLIGHTENED IN A POSITIVE MANNER, BY THE CRITICISM, BEING OFFENDED. THE RESULT OF WHICH IS, THAT THEY CLOSE OFF TO THAT POINT OF LEARNING. WHICH IS AS MUCH OF AN UNFORTUNATE PART OF HUMAN NATURE, AS IS THE REBUKE ITSELF. IT IS WISER TO TEMPER ONE’S CRITICISM IN A KNOWLEDGEABLE MANNER, WITH POSITIVE ASPECTS & IT IS BOUND TO HAVE A MORE POSITIVE OUTCOME ON THE PERSON IT IS DIRECTED TOWARDS. IN THIS MANNER, IT WILL OFTEN BE MORE ASSURED OF AFFORDING THE RECEIVER ENCOURAGEMENT TO ACCEPT THE CRITICISM, RESULTING IN THE DESIRED OUTCOME OF IMPROVEMENT. THIS WILL IN TURN AFFORD THE CRITIC A SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT & ACHIEVEMENT. EVEN THE MOST FOUL OF MEDICINES, BECOMES MORE PALATABLE, WHEN OFFERED WITH A BIT OF SWEETENER. THIS BRINGS US BACK TO THAT TIGHTROPE ON WHICH WE ALL STAND & EVEN OFTEN WALK, KNOWN AS A “BALANCE OF THINGS”. RETROSPECT, IF GIVEN THE CHANCE & HONESTY, WITHIN & WITHOUT, TEMPERED WITH UNDERSTANDING, KNOWLEDGE & COMPASSION, IS SURELY THE BALM OF THE SOUL. AT THE SAME TIME IT IS WISE TO BE AWARE NOT TO BECOME “LIFE’S DOOR MAT”. FOR EVEN THE DOOR MAT WHICH IS EMBLAZONED WITH A “WELCOME” MOTIF ON IT, CAN BE OVER USED, OR EVEN ABUSED & ONCE WORN OUT, IT IS THROWN OUT. OFTEN WITH NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF IT’S SERVICE OR THE COURTESY OF A THANK YOU & REPLACED. LIKEWISE, WITH GENEROSITY, TEMPER YOUR BENEVOLENCE WITH KNOWLEDGE, LOVE & UNDERSTANDING, BOTH TO THE RECIPIENT, AS WELL AS YOURSELF. GIVE NEITHER, BEGRUDGINGLY, WITHOUT THINKING, OR IN HASTE. GIVE TO THOSE WHO ARE IN NEED, RATHER THAN THOSE WHO WANT, DEMAND OR MERELY EXPECT IT FROM YOU. FOR GIVING TO THE UNAPPRECIATIVE, IS LIKE SOWING SEED IN BARREN SOIL. IT OFTEN RECEIVES NO APPRECIATION OR A CHANCE OF GROWTH & AS A RESULT, BEARS NEITHER FRUIT NOR FLOWER. IT OFTEN BENEFITS NEITHER THE GIVER, WHO SEES NO RESULTANT JOY, NOR THE RECEIVER A CHANCE TO RISE ABOVE THEIR PRESENT STATUS. TO BOTH THE GIVER, AS WELL AS THE RECIPIENT, IT CREATES A BOTTOMLESS PIT NEEDING EVER MORE. LIKE THE RODENT WHICH OFTEN CHEWS INTO THE BAG OF GRAIN FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE BAG, OR A CORNER UNSEEN, DRAINING IT OF IT’S CONTENTS, LEAVING THE TOP HALF OF THE BAG TO APPEAR, UNTOUCHED & STILL FULL. WHEN IN FACT, IT DRAINED & NEEDING MORE SOURCE OF ATTENTION OR DEPLETED & IN NEED OF TOPPING UP OR EVEN ABANDONMENT. GIVE NO MORE THAN YOU CAN AFFORD OR YOU MAY SOON FIND YOURSELF IN THE SAME “BEGGING LINE”. BY ALL MEANS, GIVE TO THOSE WHO ARE WORTHY OF THE GIFT OF YOUR GIVING. THOSE THAT ARE IN NEED & NOT MERELY IN A STATE OF WANT, DEMAND & EVEN EXPECTATION. THERE IS A GREAT DIFFERENCE & EVEN DIVIDE BETWEEN THOSE COLLECTIVE STATES. UNBRIDLED GIVING TO THOSE WHO ARE UNABLE TO APPRECIATE THE GIFT OR REALISE A SENSE OF APPRECIATION FOR THE GIFT IN ITSELF, BECOME LIKE A SPOILT PERSON FOR WHOM EVEN THE TASTIEST FOOD BECOMES UNAPPRECIATED OR EVEN BITTER TO THE TASTE. YES, GIVE FREELY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME WISELY, FOR BALANCE IS THE RING THAT HOLDS THE KEYS TO LIFE & ALL IT’S AFFILIATES. WE ARE ALL LIKE A PACK OF CARDS. ON ONE SIDE WE ALL LOOK VERY MUCH THE SAME, BUT ON THE REVERSE SIDE, WE ARE MOSTLY VERY DIFFERENT. EVEN IF WE ARE FROM THE SAME SUIT. I TRUST THAT THE ABOVE WILL BE SEEN AS AN APPRAISAL OF THE BALANCE, THAT HOLDS THE KEYS TO LIFE, LEARNING, UNDERSTANDING & ULTIMATELY THE ATTAINMENT OF KNOWING & WELL BEING. LIFE IS NOT ONLY FOR LIVING, BUT FOR LEARNING & BENEFITTING FROM ALL THAT THEY AFFORD & ENCOMPASS. MOST OF ALL, SHARE THAT WHICH YOU HAVE LEARNED & BECOME EVEN MORE REWARDED & UPLIFTED, BY DOING SO. JOHN KNOTTENBELT. 12TH DECEMBER, 2014.
Posted on: Fri, 12 Dec 2014 14:41:39 +0000
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