This is the story of a writer. He has a deadline to submit
an article for the Sunday magazine. Nothing
is coming to his mind to write about. However he
tried, the blankness haunts him. Finally dejected and frustrated he gets out strolling on his courtyard. Suddenly
he noticed; a stranger is ambling into his garden through the gate, trampling all
his flower beds. Freshly bloomed flowers are getting crushed under his
shoes. The writer couldn’t control his
anger. He runs towards him; getting hold of his elbows; drags him out of the
gate. Strange; the man did not resist his efforts nor did he do anything to
object. Suddenly the writer withdraws
his hands. He realizes that this man is blind.
He came in search of help. He had not seen the garden. He shares his
grief of not having anybody to hold his hand and guide. With a heavy heart the
writer returns and takes his pen. For a new creation he starts with the
head-line: Do not hate the person who tramples on your garden; probably he is blind.
Those who hurt our pride; make us cry, who finds us as their
enemies for no reason, drags us to arguments and petty tiffs,- all of them may
be blind or may be their vision is blurred to show such cruelty. Looking at it that
way, one will not take time to forgive and pardon them.
The Prophet came in search of a shelter. His relatives
chased him out by throwing stones at him. “They are ignorant; hence they
deserve pardon” those were the words in the lips of the great teacher.
There is a beautiful short story by Khalid Gibran.
On the shores of a river a small child is crying. Somebody
has destroyed his little playhouse.
Between sobs he is telling “I don’t destroy anybodies play house. Then
why it happens to me?“ We might not have
done anything wrong; nevertheless sometimes we suffer. We fall victims to others
misdeeds and faulty attitudes. Still I
forgive for their blindness. What will
you do if your child falls down in to a gutter? Certainly you will lift him up with all the love and
affection. Blessed are those who can
keep up this compassion and love towards all.
Someone asked Maharishi Ramana; How should one behave with
others?
Maharishi replied: There are no others.
