Conversing with God more and with men less

Conversing with God more and with men less.

1989 9 September 7 Conversing with God more and with men less. (56) Thaur ibn Yazid tells of how in the course of his reading, he came across an interesting dialogue between Jesus and his disciples. “Converse with God more and with people less,” admonished Jesus. “How can we converse with God more? his disciples asked him, “By prayer and supplication to Him in private”, answered Jesus.

(Abu Nuaym)

Courage

1989 9 September 7 Courage (286) Late at night on December 15, 1988, three thieves broke into a house in Vasant Vihar (a New Delhi colony) through a rear entrance, and, in spite of the householders having wakened up at that time, they managed to make off with cash and goods to the value of about ten thousand rupees. But the truly tragic part of the story concerns the eldest occupant, Mrs. Kamla Devi Agarwal, aged 99, who lived there with her son and grandson. As the Times of India report put it the next day, “She took one look at the robbers and died of shock.”

The thieves did not attempt to do anything to her, yet she was found dead after their departure. Why was it that her son and grandson survived and she did not? What was the factor which made this vital difference? The answer is courage and fortitude. These were qualities of which the old lady had been deprived of by age and infirmity (she was confined to bed most of the time) so that in a moment of crisis she did not have the wherewithal to stand up to the shock. The moment she had a glimpse of the robbers, she collapsed.

In the world of today, the frequency with which grave misdeeds are committed and adverse circumstances arise calls for great courage and fortitude on the part of individuals in all walks of life. Those who do not possess these qualities are likely, at some unforeseen moment, to suffer a fate similar to that of old Mrs. Agarwal. It should be remembered that even a physically weak person may win through in times of adversity, provided that he faces his problems valiantly and with endurance.