I sit in my home office and see the dark clouds open up to reveal a divine portal. I feel its a mere reflection of the portal that is opening up in my consciousness.
I’ve spent inordinate amounts of time lately at this corner of my home … working, thinking, writing, and meditating. I don’t know how much of the world has changed outside, but the world within has undergone a paradigm shift. I see and feel dimensions that I never knew existed. It seems to me that I’ve developed an almost child-like enthusiasm to accept, learn, and know … like a pebble on the seashore—washed repeatedly by the waves of the all knowing ocean.
There are things that I’ve learnt to accept. I know that irrespective of whatever I do, I cannot change much of how the world works. I know … I cannot eradicate poverty from the face of the earth. I know … I cannot alleviate all the hunger of 265 million people facing a worldwide food crisis. I know … I cannot usher in world peace. But I do know … that I can change myself. I can be the change that I want to see in the world. And maybe someday, someone will see that change in me and change oneself. Later … someone else will see that person and change as well … I hope. Though there is this element of hope … I think what is important is to create that vital link so a chain of goodness can be formed.
The world needs several chains of goodness to restore the balance. Everything that we need, to establish that first link, is within each one of us. Once we establish that link, we give compassion a chance to flow and sweep through the world.
As I witnessed the portal of light emanate from deep dark clouds, a thought started to emerge from the deep recesses of my consciousness. There are four portals (gates). The Bhagavad Gita talks about the three gates to hell—lust (kaam), anger (krodh), and greed (lobh). Krishna urges Arjuna to give up these three gates. He says, “If a man gives up these three, and is absorbed in his own improvement, he may find the supreme goal.”
The fourth gate, as I now know, leads to heaven (figurative … not an actual place). It’s the gate of compassion. It’s compassion that drives us to perform selflessly … that is satisfying for its own sake, not for the reward.
In these difficult times, on one hand, I hear tales of desperation … a child crying to wake up his dead mother. I also hear tales of immense compassion … a 15-year-old girl cycled 1200 km over eight days to get her ailing father back home to her mother.
There is enough goodness in this world from where we can draw inspiration. Today, I want to share with you a story that has made me realize that god is everywhere … around us and within us. However, god can only work through us if we allow ourselves to enter through the gate of compassion.
In 2009, seven underprivileged girls, all of about 4 to 5 years of age, were literally picked up from the streets and given a home in Kolkata, India. A few good souls (I know most of them personally) sponsored their education, sports, social life, and all the basic necessities for living a dignified life for over a decade. The girls are now on the verge of completing high school and nurturing dreams of becoming doctors, engineers, beauticians, and fashion designers. However, as I understand, it’s becoming extremely difficult in these challenging times to fund each of their dreams.
There is now a campaign to raise money to fund the higher education for these kids. As I write this blog, there are almost 60 kindred spirits who have already funded their dreams through Milaap. And I’m sure many have helped by funding directly. I feel confident that each one of those girls would be able to realize their own dreams. There are good souls everywhere … and there are several in my network. And that is precisely the motivation for sharing this story with y’all. I know that you’ll walk through the gate of compassion today.
