Love in disguise

Water was flowing downstream humbly in its course, 

or going straight forward; 

or bending around bigger objects…

A big stone at its path started to laugh: ‘ You are such a coward! 

Look at me, so strong and so unbendable!’

Water answered with her silent smile and just kept flowing as she always does- 

or running straight ahead or bending around the big objects…

Many many years has passed. 

That big stone is no longer that big stone. 

The edges have been reshaped and rounded; 

most of it all it has been cut through in the middle by the weak water! …

Thus, the softness has the power of overriding the hardness;

Thus, we shall never underestimate –

the softness has its strength in its ‘weak’ disguise!

Often we are made to believe-

the more we possess whatever they are: house, car, cloth etc.

the more successful we are meant in the other’s eyes;

the happier we will be and the merrier our life will become!

Thus we fill up our house with furnitures, electronic gadgets;

paintings, books , expensive oriental silk carpets

and all the things we think necessary;

Then we spend time polishing our furnitures;

keeping renew on our electronic gadgets;

dusting our paintings and books;

taking care of our expensive oriental silk carpet…

After we have spent so much time and energy in protecting our assets;

they are becoming increasingly more important to us;

and we are becoming more and more afraid of losing them…

So we buy insurance; arrange security system around the house;

hiding the valuables in Swiss bank…

Then our sleep is broken,

because we are too worried that someone might steal them away from us;

Then our peace is disturbed,

because we can't trust people anymore- are they for me or for the wealth?

Don’t you also see how hypocrisy we are?!

Don’t you also see how slaved we have become of our own possessions?! ...

Have we all forgotten the old wisdom saying?!

‘...The usefulness of a cup doesn’t lie in its form,

but in its empty space which holds within...’

As a house need empty space to make a home instead of a staffed warehouse;

As we humans need empty space between each other to keep the peace;

As our mind need empty space for returning to our natural status of creativity…

Thus, emptiness has its wonderful usefulness in disguise!

A mother say to her children:

‘You eat first! I am not hungry.’ even though she is;

A father says to his son:

‘ Take my jacket! I am not cold. ’ even though he shakes like leaves;

Parents say to their grown-up daughter:

‘Go and chase your dream! Don’t worry about us, we will be fine!’

after she has left they wait by the telephone daily

hoping the next call would come from their dearest daughter…

A man who is diagnosed with deadly cancer breaks up with his girlfriend:

‘ I don’t love you anymore. Please leave! ’ 

afterwards he would watch her walking out of his life 

with a total broken heart but also with his full blessings

…...

Have I become more of traditionalist?

Or has the world become more of a stranger place ?...

Today’ love is louder than ever, faster than ever, yet more superficial than ever;

Behind their steamy love, there are filled with egoistic and selfish agendas;

Behind the veil of their love, there are troubled and unhealed souls;

Thus, they are controlling and ‘consuming’ each other in the name of love!

......

I have been searching and I have been touched over and over again

by those insignificant yet significant clues of true love...

they can be so subtle yet so incredible beautiful;

they can be even so vulnerable yet so true to the hearts;

they are indeed real diamonds hidden and disguised in sand!

In life we are naturally drawn towards pleasant people,

and naturally withdraw from the unpleasant people.

As we can learn about kindness from the kind people;

As we can learn about love from the lovable people;

we can learn pretty much about ourselves from the difficult people!

As their existence is served as valuable opportunities for us

-to face our innermost ‘demons’;

-to force us out of our comfort zone;

-to break through from our old thinking pattern or old life style;

-to learn about ourselves and to cultivate our inner strength…

Thus, through tears and sweats of dealing with them-

we may gain the profound learning experiences which we would not otherwise;

Thus, through errors and trials of dealing with them-

we may gain some catalytic revelations which we would not otherwise!

Thus, when we encounter such a nightmare person next time,

Don’t just run away from him/her as fast as you can,

He/she might be your blessing in disguise!