Imagine you take the kids shopping. They keep bugging you to buy them a toy, and since you’re in a good mood, you decide to buy them each a toy. They all want to open the toy boxes right in the store, but you say no. You tell them they can play with the toys when you get home.
You get in the car, and they still insist on playing with the toys, but you say no again. When you get home, you find out that you have company, so the toys go straight into the closet. The kids start playing with the visiting kids and forget about the new toys, just as you do.
A week or so passes, and you get a call from a charity asking for toy donations. You consider donating the toys but worry that the kids will be upset if they find out you gave the toys away before they could play with them.
God has blessed us all with gifts, and some of us put those gifts aside, hoping to enjoy them later. Life often gets in the way, and we keep postponing enjoyment, thinking we’ll have time on the weekend or when we retire. But sometimes, that time never comes.
As time passes, you receive a call from the doctor’s office, asking you to come in for further testing because they found something concerning. You leave the doctor’s office with bad news and sit in front of the TV, staring blankly at the gift you never got to enjoy. You feel like screaming and crying, just like those kids who never got to play with their toys.
A successful life must be fulfilling both intellectually and physically. If you focus only on intellect, managing finances while neglecting physical needs like food, sex, and love, you’re missing out on life’s essence.
Become the CEO of your own life, responsible for all its departments, not just finances. You can’t selectively fear and prioritize money alone. Remember, if you amass wealth but lose your health, you can’t enjoy what you’ve saved. Balance is essential in all aspects of life.
Since life is temporary, engaging in physical activities is actually an intellectual choice. Strive to find a balance between intellect and physicality.
Everyone has a life story, and how we respond to it determines our fate. You can obsess over control or accept the inevitable, knowing that our mortality is the ultimate truth. Don’t let the fear of external and internal problems consume you.
If you examine closely, you’ll see that your controlling nature often leads to psychological and spiritual issues. Instead of trying to control everything, accept the reality of mortality and adapt accordingly.
There’s nothing wrong with exercising healthy control. Man is the driver of their life, with God as a guide rather than a controller. We’re endowed with free will to evolve and realize our potential.
Believing that God controls everything can lead to passivity. Instead, acknowledge the power of individual decisions. Don’t succumb to religious manipulation that undermines personal agency.
Today, religious extremism perpetuates conflicts and denies individual freedom. We must empower the youth with education to transcend religious boundaries and embrace individual spirituality, connecting us all.
As individuals, we have a limited time on Earth and a responsibility to live fully, not merely exist. Reject the politics of belonging that hinder personal growth. Live by the philosophy of reciprocity, giving and taking in balance.