Life Is an Easier Journey Through My Belief.
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For me, my whole existence centers around God — everything I do, every decision I make, and everything that I am.
I am grateful for all I have, as it is all down to my faith and belief. Never has there been a time when my prayers have not been answered. For each struggle and every dilemma, I have turned to God and he’s been there, unconditionally listening and taking care of my worries.
The biggest problem I struggle with in all of this is ego. This stems from my belief in the teachings of the Guru Granth Sahib. People naturally and without thinking attribute their successes to themselves. This is where we humans make the unforgivable error of thinking that we are the ones who make things happen. We think we have what we have because we earned it and we deserve it.
I did this and I did that are common expressions of pride and self-admiration when in fact there is no I. There is no me. It’s the biggest and most challenging thought process: to let go and admit that we are just a drop in the ocean. So, that is me: a droplet surrounded by millions of other droplets.
We are all one, as a single droplet cannot exist without the others. A droplet might be under the misconception that it can, but in reality this is not true. The tidal waves and upheavals of the ocean ensure the need for the reliance on other droplets and in turn our reliance upon God. So where is the I in all of this?
In Sikhism, the five major weaknesses of humans are the Five Thieves, so called because they rob a person of their innate common sense. These five thieves are Lust (Kama), Wrath (Krodh), Greed (Lobh), Attachment (Moh), and Ego (Ahankar).
It is ego which makes us forget God. It permits us to take the credit for our successes, wealth, talents and possessions whilst enabling us to forget that God is the one who makes all this possible. Without his grace and mercy, there is nothing. If God does not wish us to have all these things, we will not have them, no matter how hard we think we are trying to achieve them. For God giveth and God taketh away.
Really, when you think about it, we have no power at all. No power to live, to die, to heal, to be sad or happy or wealthy or poor. It all boils down to one simple fact: if it is God’s will, then it will be. So, stop trying so hard and stop stressing over everything. Of course, if you don’t study for that exam, you’re not going to pass, but it is God who has given you the opportunity to take it in the first place.
These are my views and my beliefs, and I don’t expect anyone else to understand what I am on about except those who share them too. I have reached the age of 60 having completely messed up my life in the past but also surviving the struggles and finally overcoming them. Never has my faith been stronger as it is this day. I have seen a total transformation in the lives of my family.
I could not have imagined, in my wildest dreams, that this would be possible. With Guru Ji ki Kirpa (God’s grace), we have been given the opportunity, strength and willpower to live our lives in line with our faith. God gave us the power to give up all the bad that was in our lives.
Some may say that it is not necessarily religion or a belief in God which helps us be good human beings. This is true. It is who we choose to be. If it is our belief in something higher and more powerful than anything else on earth, then let it be that. If it is our belief that God exists to help us through our journey of life, then so be it.
A belief in the existence of God does not have to mean that you believe in any particular religion. In my humble opinion, a person can believe in God but still abstain from religion.
Religion, many may argue, is the root cause of all the evil in this world. It divides individuals and whole kingdoms and continents. It creates wars and differences. It kills. So where is the good in religion? The good is not in religion but in each one of us. It is in the choices we make and how we embrace our faith. It is how we interpret our religion: for good or for evil.
There can be no religion in the world that would preach violence and death — this is a misconception and stupidity in those who believe this. I have made my choice because my faith gives me strength and light, and life is an easier journey through God and Sikhism.
Gurdas Maan got it right when he said, “baki diya gallan chado, dil saaf hona chahida” (putting everything else aside, the only thing that matters is that your heart is pure and clean).
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Indira Mahun was born in India but grew up in the UK. She had a colorful childhood and faced many challenges in her personal life, especially during the married years. Her children are her absolute life, as is her beautifully gorgeous grand-daughter who makes everything okay. Indira is a teacher, and loves the job and the satisfaction it brings. There’s nothing like the grin on a child’s face when they open their exam results. Indira has been divorced and widowed, and is now in a happy relationship. She will devour books, and is known to have read 11-12 books a week whilst on holiday. She also loves to write, and her ambition is to have her novel published one day. Indira also enjoys traveling and seeing the world, and has been lucky to have visited many places. Her motto is ‘live and let live’.
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