Fate is not a very much liked word. It has a tone of negativity around it. All negative things in life are attributed to it whereas all positive things are attributed to hard work or luck. Cursing fate is proportional to the economic and social condition of a person. The poorer the person, the more he will blame it on fate. The curse of fate makes a man resign to it, demotivates him. Everyone in this world at some point of time in life has cursed his fate, not once but many times.
What is this ‘fate’? It is something that happens or doesn't happen in our life when we are expecting or not expecting it in life. Like when we keep on giving interviews but don’t get a job. Or when out of the blue we lose money. When something which doesn't meet our expectation we curse fate. It is very difficult for a common man to overcome the concept of fate. It is so easy to curse and resign to fate that it almost gives us an alibi, to hide our short comings.
The life of a common man is that of struggle. A middle class man is so engrossed in the battle of life that he doesn't have time and inclination for the so called extra ordinary. From the childhood he studies knowing that his father won’t leave enough money or a business to have an easy life. First he tries the engineering and medical. If not from the science stream, then he has not option till graduation. Thereafter he does some professional courses or sits for competitive exams, for a govt job. For many, the aim and ambitions of child hood gets left behind somewhere down the road. Most get jobs as per their efforts, some get more than what they deserved and some get less. This is the first challenge in life and fate knocks at the door of our life, because now we are taking the first steps out of the parents nest. If we analyse our friend circle from our school days we realise that those who had worked hard have got better jobs and opportunities. They are better placed in life.
Everyone goes through almost the same grind, but it is the effort of each individual which places them in different pedestal. It is only self efforts which makes or mar a person. Blaming on fate is the easy way out and it can become an addiction. For small things we start blaming the fate. The more we do it the more we get into the quick sand of low morale, low self esteem and low self confidence. The will to fight back gets sapped.
Fate doesn't make someone rich and famous. Behind it is always the hard work which is invisible to others. But then you would say that some are born that way, what about them. Let’s accept the fact that rich and famous people are hard working people in their own fields. Its needs to be understood that being born in such a family has its initial benefits, but these families also inculcate the spirit of hard work in their children. Those children who understand it goes further and those who get blinded by its shine go down. Though outwardly all seems rosy, but internally they are under more pressure than the others.
Now let’s tackle this question from the karma and reincarnation point of view. It says the good work done in our previous life decides our next life. Where does this good work come from, it comes from hard work and self effort. So here also self effort in one life guarantees a better life in next birth. If one’s soul is not attuned to hard work and self effort how will he able to take up bigger responsibilities in the next life. So obviously God will put hard working and self motivated souls in those wombs which are destined for greater purpose and responsibility. God knows they will be able to cope up in their next life also. And if he fails, well he will then come down to the level among the commons.
Fate is not constant during the whole life. No one can say that from the first day till the last day of life, fate has been same. Life gives opportunities, it is upon us to seize them and work on it. But those who are self motivated and hard working, they create their own opportunities. Therefore everyone gets a chance for betterment, how we deal with it, is up to us. It is a common uttering that fate brought me to such a situation or fate made me do this act. I would say it is a fatalistic thought. It is lack of wisdom, laziness and a lackadaisical attitude which puts us in a tight spot. Living a life resigned to fate is wasting a life. If everyone resigns to the inevitability, then there is no need for any action on our part. Then there is no need for education, wisdom, self effort, intellect. Then there will be no difference between an animal and a human being.
We Indians have a lot of faith in astrology and horoscope. If in my horoscope it is destined that I will be scientist or millionaire, can I become one without doing anything and without self effort. Fate will not fulfill your dream, your efforts will. Success comes from effort, failure from half hearted effort and laziness. Effort should be righteous to have a positive effect. Effort stands on the pillar of right knowledge, right action, and right wisdom. Without these three factors, effort will be like a miss guided missile, which we can ignite but cannot control its direction. A dedicated but negative effort will only yield negative result. That’s why right wisdom is of utmost importance among the three. It is the steering wheel of the bike which guides the two tyres of right knowledge and right action.
Today’s effort is tomorrow’s fate; today’s fate is yesterday’s effort. Today is more powerful than tomorrow and yesterday.
Let’s come to contentment. Contentment is as elusive as God. It has nothing to do with being rich or poor. All our life, all our efforts are expended to find this. Still only a handful leaves this world feeling contended. The materialistic world, will all its inventions and cravings have failed to provide contentment. Again it is often wrongly equated to being satisfied with less. It is not so. A person with less may be contended whereas a person with more may be discontented.
It is not to be found outside, but inside. Discontentment is blamed on fate. Effort to change fate is an action to fulfill our discontentment. Contentment is the fruitful outcome of our efforts. As most of us are unaware of our threshold level of contentment, we are unable to regulate our efforts. We are unaware of what will make us happy and satisfied. We aim for something and when we achieve it, we realise it is not this. We want more, we want something else. This way the whole life passes by searching for it.
It is again not to be confused with not making efforts to achieve something. Till we are not dead we are bound to act, to make effort. But our actions, our efforts are to be seeped in wisdom. Contentment is to accept what we have got and also accept what we have not got. Not to be elated for what we have got and not to be sad for what we have not got. To be satisfied with our dedicated efforts, even if we do not get it.
Who is the richest man in this world – he is the one who is contended with nothing in possession.
At the end I would say that everything is not going to happen as per our desire and expectation in life. That doesn't mean that we start cursing fate. As a human being we are endowed with all the faculties to rise, adopt and act to get the best out of life. Only righteous efforts are needed. Righteous effort with wisdom will give us contentment. Contentment will bring peace of mind.
What else do we need?
I agree with you. Very good presentation..