Monday, September 22, 2008

You Decide Your Destiny


- by Ayesha Parveen 20 Sep 2008
This story has been read 2676 times.
Often in life, we wonder if we are getting what we deserve. So much of what happens to us, seems to be out of our control and more often than not, we call life unfair. However, if we can find some time to think over the matter, we can understand that things happen for a reason and the universal pattern of deeds and their consequences weave our destiny. Thus, each one of us has an active role in shaping our fate.

Great people like Lincoln and Gandhi had to face insurmountable difficulties but that did not deter them from listening to the voice of conscience within them. True, both were assassinated (and who does not die, finally?) but their names and dates associated with them have found permanent places in the annals of history. Lincoln did not let his humble birth stop him from becoming the President of the U.S.A.; neither did racism and being thrown out of a train make a coward of Gandhi or stop him from leading India’s freedom movement. Florence Nightingale, ‘the lady with the lamp’, had to deal with many obstacles like hostile male-dominated social norms, legal hassles as well as parental disapproval. This was only because she had firmly decided to look after the wounded soldiers, during the Crimean War. With her determined effort, she managed to do so and in the process, established nursing as a recognized profession for women.

The classic example of evil deeds bringing about an evil destiny, is, in my opinion, that of Hitler. Having ordered the death of millions, he had to finally kill himself. Have you ever heard anyone naming his son ‘Hitler’? Only a cruel, dictatorial person is often given that as a hated nickname.

Any success of lasting-value is possible for a person only if he is willing to listen to his conscience and if he has faith in himself. Along with this, he needs to be a die-hard optimist and believe that good things do happen in life. The third most important quality of success is gratitude. A person who is grateful to his benefactors and to those who have been there for him, often receives even more helping hands. Hard work or consistent effort is yet another factor affecting our destiny. No successful business-person is automatically destined to be so; his hard-work brings him wealth. For success in any field, courage, in the face of opposition, is often vital.

Perhaps, the most important factor determining our destiny is having or lacking compassion in our hearts. If we reach out to our fellow-creatures when they need our love and support, we can expect to be paid in kind when we need it. What we call ‘personal-miracles’, are often very subtle-additions of consequences of deeds done, seen or unseen by the world.

True, we are all not born with equal socio-economic gifts or handicaps. Not all have equally loving parents and spouses or even true friends. However, what we make of these advantages and disadvantages, determines our destiny.

The artist may not always be able to buy a grand-sized canvas-board, but he can always choose to paint his small board in the most beautiful of colours. The result, in that case, is infinitely rewarding for him as well as for those who see his painting. You are the artist of your life and the picture you choose to paint, is your destiny.

12 comments:

Ayesha Parveen said...

MSN Readers' comments:

KParthasarathi - Chennai on 9/20/2008 5:33:03 PM
Superb.A wonderful article in impeccable English.The author has brought out beautifully that it is choice-not chance- that dermines one's destiny.Our actions decide our fate.Destiny is not a thing to be waited for but to be achieved.

Rajesh - Hyderabad on 9/20/2008 9:44:54 PM
Beautifully written, in just the right choice of words it comes out very easy on the mind and subtly makes its impact. Thanks, that's a very fluently written one.

Ayesha Parveen said...

MSN Readers' comments:

Srinagesh - Hyderabad on 9/21/2008 7:32:24 AM
A very well written and thoughtful expression on Life and what one needs to do to make it meaningful. It is easy to blame, easy to criticise, easy to stand on the sidelines and give advice - as long as one's self is not affected. But end of the day, you are what you make of your life - to stand for what you believe in and walk the talk or be a hypocrite - the choice is yours. While one can fool all the people all the time, there are 2 selves you can never fool - your self and your own conscience, which some call God. End of the day, it is your life and your conscience that you live with.It is your happiness or your sadness that you have to cope with. Moral of the story - you make or break your own life. Once again, s sincere appreciation and Hats Off for a wonderful article and sharing of thoughts on Life. Thanks.

Amarnath Swaminathan Ramaswamy - Chennai on 9/20/2008 10:03:17 PM
The article wonderfully inspires all its readers, restores the zest for life and reminds us to thrive forward. Very well written. Kudos!!

Unknown said...

My mother says that everyone writes their destiny with their own hands - she usually uses it against me when I'm fooling around. What the article said was very true and I think many people know it in their hearts that they have a choice. It's when he or she has made a wrong choice or is unable to decide that they blame it on destiny.

Ayesha Parveen said...

MSN Readers comments:

Mohit Makhija - Faridabad on 9/21/2008 10:16:05 AM
well, i am sorry to say that i don't know as to who is Ayesha Parveen,,but after having read the said article, i certainly wish to know.. as about the article,,it has inspired me to have a fair knowledge of great examples prevailing in our history to whom we can connect in our daily life...the Article is a summary of all the debates we keep going through in our daily issues,,but of which we often find hard to come out convincingly... everybody of us have the conscience to feel these things..since it's not any new formula to attain perfection in art of living.... but still what happens is everybody knows...we keep on making same mistakes again & again.. in any case..practice is only thing which can serve us to our destination some day...and being positive & disciplined in life is all that is needed.. in the end ...really a great cheers to the author...great work done...keep it up..

Krishnan - chennai on 9/22/2008 1:16:29 PM
The message is full of truth. a good one indeed.

Ayesha Parveen said...

MSN Readers' comments:

Anand Pandit - Mumbai on 9/22/2008 12:49:21 PM
Dear Ayesha, You have written a very apt story for lifting up ones spirit. Keep more such articles coming. regards Anand Pandit.

NIcholas DSouza - Mumbai on 9/22/2008 11:59:57 AM
A thought provking article very relevant in today's time.

Prakash nayak - Mumbai on 9/22/2008 11:05:32 AM
Good article.Written with a conscience.We need people like this to make our society a better one.

Bishnu Patro - Bangalore on 9/22/2008 12:23:37 PM
Very good article...

ram - Toronto on 9/21/2008 6:57:08 PM
Ayesha your expression is lovely. I am sure you think and write from your conscience. God bless you.

Ayesha Parveen said...

MSN Readers' comments:

arshi - pune on 9/22/2008 8:16:08 PM
Its absolutely true that one decides his/her own destiny. If one believes in Karma then life becomes easier for onesself and all around. Jesus said treat others as you would like them to treat you. In other words, good begets good bad begets bad. There is no shortcut to life. Hard work, good thoughts,good words,good deeds and a little luck ensures a great destiny. People blame all their ill luck on others or as Gods wish little realising that they themselves shape their own destiny. God constantly gives signs if we are attempting to do something wrong, it is upto us to take heed or ignore those signs. Conscience alone seperates Man from Animals.

Iqbal - pune on 9/20/2008 3:16:41 PM
very good article. Appreciate your style of writing and expressing.

Ayesha Parveen said...

MSN Readers' comments:

Neha Singh - Gurgaon on 9/22/2008 3:27:29 PM
Dear Ayesh, It is a really nice article one which peps the spirit. It is true we make our own destiny, our deeds do decide what we will get and this is one message which Bhagwad Geeta preaches us. Regards Neha.

M. Shankar - Hyderabad on 9/22/2008 5:25:06 PM
Very well said. I fully agree. Our destiny/fate/luck is in our own hands. Nurture positive thoughts, develop compassion towards needy, love & respect one and all and you are bound to enjoy life. Please remember what counts is our deeds both good and wicked and deeds of previous birth also determine your present and future.

Ayesha Parveen said...

MSN Readers' comments:

mahalakshmi.b - bangalore on 9/23/2008 9:45:54 AM
this article is very motivating and it clearly describes the various qualities that each one of us must have in order to be successful in life.

shefali Bhatnagar - New Delhi on 9/23/2008 10:01:31 AM
Yes i agree with what the authur explained, i have been through the most difficult phase in my life and although during that phase i made hell lot of mistake but this did not keep me from having faith in my god and me, i still do make mistakes but i know god has a special plan for my life and god is easy and forgiving. In ,my opinion we humans made by god's image , we are his children we should follow what our father follow follow his footsteps, we are special and we should be positive that we are powerful like our father nothing is impossible in this world for us. Bible say humans are placed above every creature.

Ayesha Parveen said...

MSN Readers' comments:

arshi - pune on 9/22/2008 8:16:08 PM
Its absolutely true that one decides his/her own destiny. If one believes in Karma then life becomes easier for onesself and all around. Jesus said treat others as you would like them to treat you. In other words, good begets good bad begets bad. There is no shortcut to life. Hard work, good thoughts,good words,good deeds and a little luck ensures a great destiny. People blame all their ill luck on others or as Gods wish little realising that they themselves shape their own destiny. God constantly gives signs if we are attempting to do something wrong, it is upto us to take heed or ignore those signs. Conscience alone seperates Man from Animals.

B.N.Kapoor - Gurgaon on 9/23/2008 1:10:14 PM
I do agree to what Ayesha mentions.However,greatest of all things to happen in our lives or so called destiny,is what we select a particular choice at a particular time amongst various available to us.Nature created by Almighty plays a major role.So conscience & mindset both attribute to our destiny.

Ayesha Parveen said...

MSN Readers' comments:

Ramesh Padmanabhan - Chennai on 9/24/2008 6:25:05 PM
As requested , I read this article. Very good. I read the for and against views. The only person who can change our destiny is ourself. To act or react is in our hand. If we act in any situaion rather than reacting , the destiny is in our hand. Regards . RP.

From: Shravan Gulati
(shravan3k@hotmail.com)
Sent: 22 September 2008 23:52PM
To: ayeshacgs@hotmail.com

Hi Ayesha,

I just read your story on MSN - 'You Decide Your Destiny' and decided to write you a mail. The topic crosses my mind many a time and I too feel that we are the architects of our own fortune or misfortune. There's a saying - 'You make your own luck' and I'm a staunch believer of the same. In saying that, I also feel sometimes that we're part of some perfectly carved system where we have the freedom or choice to decide the way our lives pan out.

Anywayz thanks for getting me inspired!

Shravan

Unknown said...

This is one of your best posts. The examples you have given to support your point are very appropriate and the theme is captivating.

Ayesha Parveen said...

MSN Readers' comments:

Rajesh - Hyderabad on 9/25/2008 2:37:36 PM
Very true. One need not be a Gandhi or Nehru over again to give the world a sense of Deja Vu, but we can like a Gandhi listen to our inner self and face truth like he unwaveringly did for example or like Abe pursue with single minded determination against repeated failures or like Nehru being an avid thinker and writer, one should read the letters he has written to his daughter Indira Priydarshini, I can imagine the influence it had on her. Another superb article from Ayesha, I envy you for the 5 ratings that you get time and time again ;-) All the best for more.