Page 49 - NAMAH Oct 2015
P. 49

Namah                                               Reflections

automobiles and white goods, our bodies also        deployed, so as to be able to refuse some juicy
come with an inbuilt feature of planned             items which one sees being gobbled up with
obsolescence. Cars and washing machines             much relish by those around. One develops
have a definite lifespan. Warranties are            sincerity of purpose.
limited. Once the warranty period is over,
an annual maintenance contract kicks                Our scriptures postulate that of the five
in. Likewise, human bodies have an upper-           senses which help us to get connected to the
limit to their time spans. To keep them going       world around us, the most difficult one to
longer, regular maintenance is necessary.           rein in is that of taste. This self-control is
Healthy nourishment, regular exercises and          precisely what a diabetic sets out to achieve.
a positive attitude alone help. Howsoever           One learns to persevere.
hard we may work upon ourselves, we realise
that our physical bodies come with a date of        With advice coming in from diverse sources
expiry. The date, of course, remains a mystery      about management of diabetes, the patient
of sorts.                                           becomes more receptive. One is willing, even
                                                    desperate, to try any cure that would rid one
An opportunity for spiritual uplift                 of this affliction. One ends up becoming more
                                                    receptive and open-minded.
If we look a little deeper, we are apt to find
that illnesses not only represent crises in our     Running into a fellow diabetic, the milk of
lives. These also provide an opportunity for        human kindness starts sloshing about within
a spiritual uplift of sorts.                        oneself. Goodness demands that while
                                                    serving food or snacks to the hapless soul,
Take the case of a patient suffering from           principles of equality, fair-play and natural
diabetes. The manner in which this affliction       justice get adhered to. To be really benevolent
leads one to progress on the path of spirituality   and generous to the other, a singular lack of
can be readily appreciated by considering           generosity has to be demonstrated.
what a hapless patient has to go through.
                                                    Gradually, one imbibes all these qualities in
Surely, no one aspires to have a silent killer      oneself — courage, humility, sincerity,
like diabetes as a part of the package of           perseverance, receptivity, goodness and
challenges that life offers. But once known to      generosity. Inner peace prevails. Progress
be afflicted by it, it takes courage to accept the  comes about. One’s capacity to look at the
fact — internally as well as socially. One’s        broader picture and to empathise with fellow
propensity to accept things in a courageous         beings improves. One’s ego gets flattened.
manner goes up.
                                                    All diabetics need to manage their lives by
Willingly having to forsake the pleasures of        remaining confined within a triangle of three
the palate, the patient learns the art of           lakshmanrekhas – diet, exercise and medication.
humility. Delectable sweets get banned from         One ends up living like an ascetic. Spiritual
one’s dining table. When attending a social         advancement follows. Life is served with its
function, nerves of chilled steel need to be        sunny side up.

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