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Perspective    
Perception Defines Life
by Mahesh Sharma

Generally speaking, how do we see life, how do we distinguish between what is important and what is not? The society, the people seem to us the way we want to see them.  Let’s say the perception is like viewing through goggles.  If the tint of the goggles is blue, the world appears blue, if its black the world too 'becomes' black. You want to see poverty, you see it, you want to see/feel corruption and you get that and if you want to see Happiness you can see that too!

Life can be as big and important as you make it out to be. Or it can be as small and insignificant as you perceptions define it. I disagree with those people who sit out there saying, it’s all destiny. May be it is destiny after all, still it does not give us the leisure to sit and do nothing.

There are two types of people

1. The ones who see life as Colorful and Grand
2. The ones who see life as Insignificant and futile.

Both viewpoints are correct. It all has to do with how you see things. Some people tend to see things as humongous and complex; others see things as humble and simple.

How do you categorize the world that we live in and the people we live with?

My perception is that world and people cannot be or should not be distinguished – people are what make the world a home, from a house.

Is that world, Loving/Loyal/ Selfless/Humane/Cooperative or Detesting/Disloyal/Opportunistic/Inhumane/Non-Cooperative?

All things, all experiences, all challenges, all relationships, can be perceived differently on different levels, so that what might seem like a negative situation on one level, can be experienced as a positive in a higher state of consciousness. It can be an experience of growth, of greater awareness, and of greater development of loving abilities, such as a greater compassion and understanding.

There are 4 stages every human being has

1. I am OK; You are OK
2. I am OK; You are NOT OK
3. I am NOT OK; You are OK
4. I am NOT OK; You are NOT OK

The first condition is what we should be adopting. Let’s analyze the last condition, the most dangerous amongst all.

I am NOT OK; You are NOT OK

Let us analyze how this situation arises and what are the parameters leading to this. (I am leaving the 2nd and 3rd to be perceived by the reader him/herself).

1. Happiness (Rather our perception of Happiness)

What is our perception of Happiness? Nowadays it is limited to meaningless words and gestures, Luv you honey, miss you honey and a routine peck on the cheek while leaving home. Life has become so mechanical, that people wait for some big happiness that’s going to come, completely refusing to acknowledge all the tiny little joys that this wonderful life offers or has to offer. In effect when the ‘Big Happy Occasion’ comes we must have forgotten the art of Laughing out of Joy. Plan for tomorrow, but live fully today.

In the end what matters is not the number of breathes we take in a moment; what ultimately matters is the “number of moments that take our Breath away.”

2. Hatred - One of the most virulent energy substances

Hate, whether it is self-hate or directed towards another, almost always causes serious illness to those individuals who foolishly indulge in its venomous energy. The individual whom we hate is not adversely affected by it. Only we are affected. One very simple moral story I found in the internet about hate is copy pasted here
A kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play game. The teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic bag containing a few potatoes. Each

Potato will be given a name of a person that the child hates, so the number of potatoes that a child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number of people he/she hates. So when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with the name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes; some 3 while some up to 5 potatoes. The teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes in the plastic bag wherever they go (even to the toilet) for 1 week. Days after days passed by, and the children started to complain due to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides, those having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags.

– Continued

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