We always tend to think of our own troubles as worse than other people’s. We do not see others’ troubles so intimately as we see our own. With our own close at hand, we always think they are worse than the other fellow’s.
The real difference between human beings is not the size or dimension of their troubles, but rather the way in which they react to them. No small measure of a man’s quality and essential worth is to be found in the way he handles difficulties, frustrations, annoyances and problems.
One way is to simply bemoan one’s fate – an attitude which is unworthy of a human being. Another way is to rebel against the seeming injustice, and to go about bearing with us a continual grudge against life. This results in a dwarfing of the personality breeding a hard and irritating type of character. A third way is evasion. We may try to run away either by pushing our troubles to other people, or by retreating into helplessness. But cowardice is not a fitting attitude with which to face life and its challenges, and the person who resorts to it pays the price in deterioration of character, the loss of stamina and even of his own self-respect.
There is a far better way than these. We can deal with these troubles in a manner as to make them a means of self-advancement, wringing from them adventure and lasting value. We may accept trouble as a spur to further achievement.
Demosthenes, in ancient Greece, was in his youth a nervous stammerer. He could not enunciate a single sentence gracefully or accurately. He was the laughing stock of his companions. In the face of such a crippling condition he could have sunk back into self-pity. Instead he used to steal away to the seashore, fill his mouth with small pebbles, and then force himself to articulate slowly and carefully over the swish and murmur of the waves. In the end he become the most famous orator of Greece!
In more recent times there has been Anne Sullivan, the teacher of the famous Helen Keller. Anne Sullivan was born more than half-blind. She was brought up in squalid poverty. At the age of eight she was left motherless, and abandoned by her father. She was reared in a workhouse. By a stroke of luck she was sent to a school for the blind, and there learned Braille and the Manual alphabet. Later she got the chance of acting as a nurse to the blind, deaf and almost dumb Helen Keller, a girl of seven, who was wild, t, rebellious and considered even by her own parents as a near-idiot
All the world knows, the story of
Helen Keller – blind, deaf and almost dumb-graduate of a University, and one of
the most radiant and challenging personalities of our times. But few really know of Anne Sullivan, who opened
the doorways of hope and courage to a dreadfully handicapped and shut-in
child.
.
The secret of Anne’s success can
be synthesized in her own words: “ No matter what happens, keep on
beginning. Each time you fail, start
all over again, and you will group stronger, until you have accomplished a
purpose”.
Look around your friends and
acquaintances, and ask yourself which of them strikes you as among the most
admirable and strong personalities. You
will find that in every single case it is those who have overcome trouble and
difficulty, and have had to battle with frustration and hindrance that have
come through to larger selfhood, not in spite of, but ratherbecause of these
disadvantages. CIF0302
Q1. What is the real difference between human beings in relation to troubles?
Q2. What are the 3 normal ways of handling problems?
Q3. What is a far better way of handling problems?
Q4. What is the lesson to be learnt from Demosthenes?
Q5. What was Anne Sullivan’s greatness?
Part III- REFLECTION
LEADER Sit
in a comfortable position. Close your eyes.
Take a deep breath ..Exhale (3 X)
With eyes closed, let each of us now think about
some point or points which impressed us during the Reading and Discussion. (pause
for 30 secs.)
Let us ask ourselves:
How do I react when faced with troubles or problems?
(pause)
Do I see problems as obstacles or as stepping stones to better things? (pause)
Think
of ONE problem you are facing at the present moment. (pause)
Now ask yourself, “Am I reacting to my problem as
the Reading says or have I been reacting wrongly? (pause)
Let me now see the End-result or my goal that I wish
to achieve, in spite of my present problems. (pause)
Get ready to come out of your Levels.
Take a deep breath….Exhale ( 2X)
Open your eyes feeling fine and enthusiastic
MSM NEWS
FLASH
# SPECIAL MIND SCIENCE
PREVIEWS.
As decided at the MSM Leaders’Convention recently, we are trying 2 different ways of promoting our Mind Science Courses as follows:
+ In KL on April 6 there will be a 3 hour session entitled ,”Exploring the frontiers of the Mind” by Dr. Clement at a leading Hotel in PJ. ending with a Preview of the MS Course followed by immediate signing up of prospective participants.
+ In Ipoh on April 14 there will be a half-day session on “The Mind and Health” by Dr Clement and two other Health experts ending with a Preview on the MS Course.
# SECOND MIND SCIENCE
CONGRESS
After the successful FIRST MIND SCIENCE CONGRESS in July last year, MSM is gearing up for the Second Congress in mid-year 2003.
A Organising Committee under the chairmanship of our able Sec-General, Mr Manuel Gomez, has been set up. MSM MEMBERS from all over the country ARE INVITED to volunteer as members of this Committee.
This is another wonderful way to help share Mind Science with the public as well as other like- minded organizations.
Please call or fax the MSM Secretariat in Melaka at 06-2832566