R.D. Bhardwaj "Noorpuri"
Once there was a young lady who usually remained sad and unhappy because she was beset with some unfortunate circumstances and events. Whosoever came into contact with her and asked her as to why she generally remains sad, she used to reply that she has many problems in life and nobody seems to lessen her burden of worries. That is why sadness and being unhappy has become a part and parcel of her life...... a sort of her second name.
One day, a learned writer visited her and after talking to her for a couple of minutes, he also realised that the young lady was in fact really burdened with unusually heavy amount of sadness and she simply does not muster some courage and will power to come out of her shell. Rather she is spoiling her life by her stubborn attitude and behaviour. He too tried to convince her that nobody in this mortal world is hundred percent happy and that everybody has some moments of sad elements and happy moments....... it all depends as to how you carry yourself in society and that changes the course of your life and thinking. The lady asked for some concrete solution to her problems rather than just a class room lecture by some teacher.
Then the writer asked her to bring a glass of water and some salt from kitchen. She immediately brought the items. The writer then put a tea-spoon of salt in the glass of water and asked the lady to taste it. Without tasting , the lady replied that it might be tasting very bad. But the writer insisted that she should first do it practically and then give her impression of water. She picked up the glass and sipped a little. Then with frowning her face by putting a few wrinkles on her forehead, she replied, "I told you it is very salty and that nobody can drink this full glass of water!" The writer also agreed with her version and said that it might be really salty and thus, quite difficult to drink it.
Then, he picked-up the salt and glass and told her to accompany him outside her house. The lady reluctantly did as she was advised to do. Both of them walked a little and then reached a big lake nearby to their colony which had quite clear and huge amount of water. Then the writer put a few spoons full of salt into the lake water. The lady kept on observing him carefully. Then writer then swirled his hand into the lake water as if trying to mix the salt into the lake-water. He then again filled that glass with water and told her to again drink it.
The lady tried to drink it sip by sip but this time there were no wrinkles on her face. Slowly she drank the full glass of water and was quite satisfied. The writer again asked her, "How do you feel now, I mean - how does this water taste now?" Without putting any wrinkles of her forehead, the lady replied, "It tastes almost good, not much difference, as to how much salt has been added to it or how bad it tastes, rather I should say that it is almost salt-free, any body can drink it without much grin or grumbles ..........."
The writer then stood up and also gesticulated her to move towards her home. And then making her understand, he said, "The pain in outer life is pure salt, simply no more and no less. The amount of pain in the lives of so many people generally remains the same, as we are only human-beings and it shall often remain with us so as long we live. But the realisation of pain often depends on the container we it into. If we try to keep it within ourselves, it shall remain hundred percent with us and hence, shall pinch us more, as we have not tried to share it with other people, our close friends, relatives and neighbours. So, please remember always, when we share our pain with our friends and relatives, or who-so-ever is closer to us, we just enlarge the sense of feeling, sense and impact of things which continue to pain us from within. But once we share it with others, its impact diminishes and sometimes, even it just evaporates as if we just did not had it with the lake water experience.
So my dear lady, please stop being a glass of water which contains 100% salt, rather try to be a lake water, share your pain and sufferings with others and the problems shall automatically lessen its burden on you. It shall not pinch you that much after sharing the same with others. And that is the unchangeable law of nature !! You will remain almost tension free so long as you continue to put this lake water formula to practical use !!!