No other human power can match that of determination. It has the potential to create heaven or hell not just for oneself, but also for the world. It is the ultimate terminator, unstoppable and invincible; nothing can stand in its way – not obstacles, not dangers, not even death.
Faith is the divine spark planted in the human soul, igniting our deepest longings and highest aspirations. It is an eternal flame, which cannot be extinguished. No matter how dimly it glimmers, it will survive the worst storm.
The sentiment of hurt and anger flows forever through the veins of planet earth, seething like hot lava, ready to erupt with a vengeance, spitting fire and deadly ashes. Revenge knows no boundary, no time limits. Not even death can cancel the blood debt, which often passes on from one generation to another.
You feel the sting, the hurt, whenever others insult or trivialize you. How should you react when people are rude or disrespectful? Should you get angry and react in kind, or should you try to rationalize and rise above the insult? Are you being too sensitive or expecting too much from people?
It is inconceivable to attain the good life in the absence of good relationships. Our joy is multiplied and sorrow divided a thousand times, when we share our feelings with family and friends. In the final analysis, all of one’s strengths and achievements would not mean very much, when one has to grow old and die alone, without a single friend or loved one.
Devastated and traumatized, Tim buries his head in his hands. The harsh words of the Vice-President still ring in his ears: “We are going to fire you for insubordination!” Replaying the scenes leading up to this dramatic encounter, Tim knows that he would not have done it differently.
On a picturesque Hawaiian island, at long last I am able to shed all my burdens and responsibilities as easily as I shed my clothes. Lying on the sandy beach, looking into the wide open sky, listening to the rhythms of the surf, and feeling the gentle caress of the ocean breeze, I have a surreal sense of being in a different world – the pristine world of aboriginals.
The river of sorrow runs deep and it never ends. How many painful memories does it contain? How many tears has it collected since the beginning of time?
It is a picture-perfect summer evening. The setting sun bathes the parkland in a gentle glow. The towering pine trees, in their dark green uniform, stand on guard, watching over the children playing. Some young couples walk leisurely along the glistening lake, pushing a stroller or holding the leash of a dog.
Darkness fills your soul and pain pierces through your heart. Betrayed, bruised and battered, you can feel the suffering of Christ crucified. Your weary body shivers in the wind like an autumn leave. Life, in its tragic brevity and absurdity, is more than you can bear.
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