Monday, September 17, 2012

"You dislike being ignored? Now you know how I FEEL LIKE!" says God - a wedding, public speaking, the human ego and the path less travelled

Truth... 'Tis You?

What Truth Possesses You?
There is only One Truth
But the truth that takes hold of you
Differs according to your nature,

Lo, what truth possesses you
When you are guided by love?

Lo, what truth posesses you
When you are possessed by hate?

Lo, what truth possesses you
When you are guided by mercy?

Lo, what truth possesses you
When you are possessed by vengeance?

Lo, what truth possesses you
When you are guided by patience?

Lo, what truth possesses you
When you are possessed by haste?

Lo, what truth possesses you
When you are guided by knowledge?

Lo, what truth possesses you
When you are possessed by ignorance?

Lo, what truth possesses you
When you are guided by humility?

Loe, what truth possesses you
When you are possessed by hubris?
...................

Peaks and Valleys. And on, and on and on... we live our daily life being pulled in the eternal tug of war between love and hate, mercy and vengeance, patience and haste, knowledge and ignorance, humility and hubris.

I don't know about you, sunshine, but these are the peaks and valleys of my own, and each moment is defined thus, and so each moment for me, truth is manifested, being either the Truth of God, Most Compassionate and Most Merciful, or the many coloured truths of my ego - being self-centered, selfish, self-absorbed, envious and narcissistic.

Public Speaking. Things become more interesting as you step out of your shell and into the public arena. Although I am a lawyer, I am more of a draftsman rather than a litigator, working behind the scenes, advising and counseling. But of late I have taken a step out of the dusty bookish realm of drafting into the arena of public speaking and lectures. And I have been forced to face up to my own (often hidden) self image and pride. To find the balance between representing myself as a sensible 'respectable' man and avoiding the all-too-easy trap of vanity.

Below Average, You Say?! Happily, the review so far have been mixed - Downs like approaching a participant in the front seats to ask for the time, only to find her happily sleeping, Ups like receiving a call from the organizers to hold another lecture, and again Downs like being told that I have been marked average for my content but below average for my presentation. Ooh... the pain my ego felt.

He he he.

What in God's name is that fat man droning about?
The sinner at a wedding reception last night. Yet another
experiment in public speaking. But the happy couple (Messrs Syed Khaled
and Cherry Fifi) said they liked it. But otherwise, appearing to be ignored by 1000 people
is always a good lesson for the human ego. He he he. Now I know how God may sometimes feel like.
 I highly recommend it. And tomorrow night, I will be forming a trinity of speakers to give a talk on the
economic impact of emerging economies to the new 2012 batch of
of medical students of at a University here, and no doubt, to be largely
ignored by hundreds more of below 20s undergrads. 

I wonder how politicians and preachers maintain their sensibility when basking in the ego-boosting, heady and bewildering atmosphere of a clapping and adoring audience? I believe that all great terror, corruption and evil came somewhere from this failure of leaders to find a suitable remedy.

So I guess sometimes it is good to be told 'Sorry, but you kinda sucked!'.

He he he.

But all's well that end's well... The wedding reception was an unqualified
success (not counting me that is), and here is the husband and wife happily
surrounded by their friends. The wife was not so happy later when one old and
dear friend (no, not me.) jumped her, and accidentally pulled down her
veil and broke her beautiful tiara. Oopsie. On the way back the friend confided in me and
Heche, "I think I will keep out of sight for one month, until Fifi forgets..."

Have a lovely Sunday, sunshine.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam
Love will show the Way

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