POSITIVE THINKING
I have read about the life of Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902). There was an incident I found particularly inspiring. This incident is not just a story; it holds a secret to life and is the key to success in this world.
Swami Vivekananda had a Christian friend who greatly admired him. One day, this friend decided to test Swami Vivekananda. He invited Swami Ji to his home for a meal. When Swami Ji arrived, he was seated in a room. In that room, there was a table with many religious books stacked one on top of the other. At the bottom of the stack was the Bhagavad Gita, the sacred Hindu scripture, and on top of it were books from other religions.
When Swami Ji entered the room, his host said, “Swami Ji, look at this. What is your comment on it?” One possibility was that Swami Ji might have reacted angrily upon seeing it, saying, “By placing my religion’s book at the bottom, you have insulted my religion. Did you invite me here for this humiliation?” This could have led to a quarrel between the guest and the host.
However, Swami Ji didn’t react that way. Instead, he smiled at the sight and gently said to his host, “The foundation is very good.”
The incident with Swami Vivekananda shows how he turned a negative situation into a positive one. What appeared to be a bad event was made into something good by him.
This is the secret to living in today’s world. Here, there are thorns alongside flowers. With good people, there are also bad ones. Therefore, one often has to endure harsh words. One faces hatred and sometimes encounters disrespect from others.
In such situations, the key to success in the present world is knowing how to coexist with thorns and flowers, to love even those who harbour hatred, and to find ways in negative comments that can be turned to your advantage.
My life experience has taught me that humans are not made of stone. Every person has a tender heart inside their chest, just like anyone else. Every human born into this world is inherently human; no one is born a wolf.
If someone speaks harshly to you for any reason, don’t focus on their words. Instead, see the tender heart hidden inside their chest. Don’t let their harsh words affect you; reply with kind words. If they give you thorns, give them the gift of flowers. You will then see that the person who seemed to be your enemy can become your friend.
It has been observed that when someone encounters something they dislike and becomes angry upon hearing it, it affects their perception and understanding. Their intellect does not function properly, preventing them from responding effectively to others.
If you don’t get angry when provoked, the first benefit is for yourself. Your mind stays clear, helping you respond better. Someone who loses their temper can only throw stones, but someone who controls their anger speaks the language of reason, which is a thousand times more powerful than the language of stones.
A positive-minded person embraces their full potential, while a negative-minded person only lives with part of their potential.
