aasthaD, abi, ajay.gang, akhilaN, alan.fly, anishaA, ankitaT, antonio, arshiaK,
bianca, carl, chong, claudette,
gandhali, inciaL,
maseeraS, nanditaM, neharika,
parinaz, pearlDS2, petal, priyankaD,
reema, renny, rheaC,
salimS, sharvariP, shalmaliG, sherlaineV, shetal, shrutiN, simone.pedro, supriyaC,
trinjhna, utsha,
varshaM, vibhaK, vidyaN, vinitaB, vrushaliK, vrushtiJ,
xeniaA, yojanaY, yvette,
zaitoonE, zeniaA, ziaP,
My dear
Today’s world seems to be very markedly a “use-and-dispose-quickly” world.
The market pampers us with updates and more advanced models having additional “necessary” features that increase the attractive quotient of the product desired.
There is an obsessive need to get the latest and flaunt the latest as indications of how much we are ahead of it all.
No real objection to all of this but to me it all seems so much of a waste….
Maybe I am old fashioned…
I was brought up in a family that used and re-used things in new and different ways.
There is so much of learning and living in that too…
For the most part I continue being that way. Happily so…
And I do not feel deprived at all about things I do not have…
About finding new uses for old things… here’s a beautiful and inspiring story…
One day one of Buddha’s disciples approached him and humbly said :
“Teacher, while you are so much concerned about the world and others,
why don’t you also look to the needs of your own disciples?”
Buddha : “Well spoken. Tell me , how can I help you?”
Disciple: “Master, my attire is worn out and beyond decency for wearing.
Can I get a new one please?”
Buddha found that the robe was indeed in a bad condition and needed to be replaced.
He asked the storekeeper to give the disciple a new robe to wear.
The disciple thanked Buddha and retired to his room.
Though he had met his disciples requirements Buddha was not all that happy with his decision.
He realized that he had missed out some point.
A little while after, he realized what he should have asked the disciple.
He went to his disciples room and asked him:
“Is your new attire comfortable? Do you need anything more?”
Disciple : “Thank you master. The attire is very comfortable. I need nothing more.”
Buddha: “Having got a new one, what did you do with your old attire?”
Disciple: “I am using it as my bedspread.”
Buddha: “Then… I hope you have disposed of your old bedspread?”
Disciple: “No.. no… master. I am using my old bedspread as my window curtain.”
Buddha: “What about your old curtain?”
Disciple: “I am using it to handle hot utensils in the kitchen.”
Buddha: “Oh I see. Can you tell me what you are doing with the old kitchen cloths?”
Disciple: “They are being used to wash the floor.”
Buddha: “Then the old cloth being used to wash the floor…. ?”
Disciple: “Master, since they were torn off so much and I could not find any better use for them, I made wicks for the oil lamp that is right now lit in your study room.”
Buddha smiled in contentment and left for his own room.
photo : terryq
Finally the ultimate use….for things…. for ourselves :
to become wicks for the oil lamps of the Buddha… wicks in the oil lamps of God…
And the world becomes all brighter and more beautiful for who we are and what we are doing….. !
We may grow old but we never need to become or feel wasted…. and it is important for us to believe that too!
Whatever our age and condition, there is always something for us to do … something for us to be useful for…..a still beautiful way for us to be!
And there will always be something exciting for us to look forward to … like retirement in the year 2030 or thereabouts for me!!!!
I am not worried about that. I will have lots to do even afterwards, I am sure!
Testing/counselling carries on … with the big rush that will continue even after college reopens in June.
My little oil lamp continues lighting up all that I do.
May that happen to you as well.
Take care. Light yourself up.
Love, Terry