It all begins with a justification of "I am just expressing myself" and "I am simply being myself". Slowly we start considering that we know, if not all, most of the things. One or two small or big successes further reinforce this idea. And then we get into a 'zone' of self-righteousness and a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy. It later brings arrogance, which then grows to such an extent that we become arrogant even to acknowledge that arrogance within us, and a negative spiral of self- destruction begins. Yet, you 'feel' to be on top of everything.
I can relate this to my addiction days. I claimed to know everything I was doing. I had the 'why' for it. I knew the philosophical, social, mental, physical, psychological and personal reasons for doing whatever I was doing and thus was justifying all my actions and emotions. I assumed and believed that I am stronger and powerful than alcohol and nicotine. I was 'clever' to deal and manage all this. I was so arrogant that anyone else who was not aligned with my thought process was not just ignorant but also worthless. In no time I became very clever in fooling myself. It became my new reality. Every time, the only reason to take the glass away from my mouth was, because I couldn't smoke with my nose!
In no time I became very smart in fooling myself. It became my new reality.
Thus, the real smartest thing in life begins when we see how we fool ourself. The stories we tell to justify our behaviour, the convenient myths, religions, rituals and dogmas we believe.
Real cleverness is in the search, it's in the inquiry, in the exploration and in the wonder of life. It's in the discovery of oneself and the creation of one's purpose and meaning of life. A clever person is always in the acceptance of one's own limits and shortcomings. A clever person is the one who is grateful for every breath of life; the one who is kind, compassionate and generous. Creation of such a being opens a path of peace, not towards peace but the path, the process, that very moment is peace. It's not at the destination, it's the journey, the means itself. Peace.
It's not at the destination, it's the journey, the means itself. Peace.
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