Man : Trouble (Trials and Tribulations)

Trials and Tribulations

We enrich our lives through success and even failure! Life is a series of experiments and experiences; some are bitter ones but make the successful even sweeter to savor.

We always think of hardship as a negative thing. We are have been programmed to think that way. We are programmed to think that ease is a good thing, and hardship is by definition a bad thing.

Every single human being on earth will go through hardship. The question is why do we go through hardship?

No One Escape Hardship, tribulations, trials, sufferings.

Sometimes when you are going through difficult times you feel like you are the only person in the world who feels that way; that you are the only one in the world who is going through. And although everyone experiences things differently, but are we the only ones in the world who suffer?

We are battled daily by sadness and worry. While the majority of the world's population confront extreme poverty, famine, conflict and despair those of us privileged to lead relatively easy lives must tackle fear, stress, and anxiety.

A test

First of all, we are not the first to be tested, to suffer, and we are not the last. And while we are going through our hardship, others are also going through hardships.

Now, more than at any other time in human kind's history, stress, anxiety, and psychological problems are taking a tremendous toll on the human condition. Human should not afford a sense of comfort however; it seems that in the 21st century man has lost the ability to connect

We have the best of everything readily available, yet the reality is we have nothing. A comforting soul for the world. Beautiful furnishings do not hold our hand in the darkest night of the poorest human. The latest entertainment centre does not wipe our tears or soothe our famished and destitute friends of earth.

Those of us living with pain and grief, or afflicted with hardship feel abandoned. We feel rudderless on an open sea. Huge waves threaten to engulf us at any given moment. Our desires and debts stand at the apex and loom over us, like great avenging angels, and we search for comfort in addictions and self-destructive behaviour.

There’s something amazing about this life- and it's actually this truth, this reality of this life that causes us pain sometimes, but it is also the same that gives us comfort. It is the reality that nothing lasts. Nothing in this life lasts. Everything passes away.

So sometimes this reality causes us pain. We have something we love and then it goes away. It passes away and ends. So we get sad. But that same reality is also a comfort because when you are going through hardship that also doesn’t last forever, that nothing lasts forever, neither pleasure nor pain.

Happiness in this life

Sadness and worry are part of the human condition. Life is a series of moments of two extremes:  joyful moments that make our hearts sing with gladness and dark moments that plunge us into sadness and worry. In between these reality life; the highs, the lows, the mundane and boring, the sweetness, and light.

Shortcoming

The first thing to do when meeting with difficulties in life is to consider what we can learn from the suffering. Perhaps we have shortcomings that we need to improve on.

Our afflictions may also be due to our wrongdoings. When we see where we fall short, we should correct ourselves, ask for forgiveness and take positive actions to correct the wrongdoings. Even if we have done no wrong, trials help us grow and reach spiritual and physical human maturity.

Cope with disaster

Within every human being's life, disaster happens. Losing a love one. To another, it comes in the form of not having sufficient food to feed their children. Disaster to each man’s is measured differently depending on their circumstances.

Allow yourself to cry. Allow yourself to see the reality of the situation and the true magnitude of what it is that has happened. It is alright to react to situations. It is only by experiencing them that the human spirit is taught how to take a path through them into the future. All trials within our lives teach us coping mechanisms which strengthen our resolve and in consequence help us to cope.

Don’t Be Surprised.

Sufferings come in many forms.  Disasters, loss, persecution, sicknesses. We are not immune from the sufferings of this world. In fact, we are destined to suffer.

With such a preparation, we will not be caught off guard when trials come to us.

Mental anguish.

To learn from mental anguish, human beings actually need to experience it. How can a person who has never felt frail understand frailty? How can a person who has never suffered disappointment understand failure? All of the negatives things which go through our minds do so as a lesson to help us gain a better understanding. These are all normal things which in themselves strengthen mental ability. It's not wrong to feel anguish. It's wrong to live it, because the lesson is not being learned.

It's not wrong to feel negative, though it's wrong to live in a negative manner, because you are not learning anything from the negativity. Use each negative mental thought to conjure up reasons for the lesson, and ways to stop yourself from feeling those negative thoughts again. Observing others and your own reactions to different aspects of life offers a wealth of lessons. They are there for everyone if they open their hearts to learning. Then the strength is assured, and you can indeed gain mental strength from your own efforts.

Lesson

The hustle and bustle of our lives doesn’t allow us time to pause and appreciate the people we have around us. When adversity, tribulation and anguish happen it often awakens us to the treasures that are far more important than money and material possession: our health, our family and our friends. Sudden losses teach us that we shouldn’t base our happiness on money. An illness teaches us to be humble and lead a healthy life. A sudden loss in the family makes us appreciate the cycle of birth, life and death. Such things may seem superficial, but you should learn from adversities if you don’t want them to control your life.

Guidance

Sometimes tribulations come to your life to suggest that it’s time to change course. For example, when someone leaves you there is no use sulking and blaming yourself (and even the other person, frankly). Instead you should take it as a sign that a newer and more enlightened relationship should be sought that is more meaningful or constructive.

 Maybe you should invest your time in other pursuits for the time being.”I was complaining that I had no shoes till I met a man who had no feet,” Rather than getting bogged down with our own problems we should pay attention to people who happily survive, and even prosper, despite all odds. When you open your eyes and have a look at the larger world, you’ll be happy to know how well life has treated you

Encourage

Unless you have an extremely sad and difficult life, you won’t always be broken-hearted. A broken heart will heal. The ability to help someone through their difficulties. It is written, “Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad”

Many people question their ability to be strong enough to go through all the trials and tribulations of life. Every human being has this special capacity for mental strength which, for the most part, rests dormant. When need arises, impossible task and against all odds makes humans strong, though even in life, you are easy going person.

A morning mist can be interpreted in two ways. The sun on a new day, or threatening clouds. The cup half full or the cup half empty lies the secret of gaining mental strength.

Learn from other people

Observing others, you always notice people who seem to have it better than you. It's actually not a question of anyone having anything better than you, but how they use their own mental capacity to gain happiness. The happy person may be humble. Humility is one of life's biggest lessons. The person who helps quietly without need of reward gains inner strength of lasting quality, because it doesn't depend upon approval of others. Watch people and learn from them how to be humble.

Just do it –

A Nike’s motivational tagline. If you have decided to do it, just do it. Catch hold of that rope of hope that your dreams with will power, rock the world. Rise up. Look at the dawn. And there will be a day when you would not even remember that you actually fell down there!

Taking lessons from legends like Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison, and Mahatma Gandhi. There are countless such examples where people have resurged after losing out completely re-affirming. All we need is a heartbeat. 
If your heart is still beating, you are alive. And this means you can do it!

“Bad things do happen; how I respond to them defines my character and the quality of my life. I can choose to sit in perpetual sadness, immobilized by the gravity of my loss, or I can choose to rise from the pain and treasure the most precious gift I have – life itself.” – Walter Anderson

Excerpt and narrations with thanks from:

Andrianes Pinantoan
Sivaramakrisnan Ananthanarayanan

Amrit Hallan

Surabhi Surendra

Gary Barzel