What are you most worried about for the future?

As usual, while feeling a little cross, he visited his favourite place. It was a patch of land artistically developed in an eye-soothing landscape. With scattered clumps of trees, the understories were carpeted with green grass. The green monotone was intermittently broken by flowers of rainwater lilies of different colours – pink, yellow and white. They were swinging in a moisture-laden cold breeze. An overcast sky with nimbus clouds and occasional thunderbolts added dimension to the entire ambience.

Fine droplets of atomised drizzle were soothing, and he was lost in their mild sensation as they fell on his face. It felt to him like a gentle natural message. Overwhelmed with ecstasy, he grinned and looked up at the sky. As he did so, droplets directly fell onto his face. He stood there holding his face up for a few moments. He knew several piercing, probing questions from his non-adjustable spouse were waiting at home about his becoming soggy. He did not want to let go of the joy he was experiencing.

A gentle, natural touch washed away all his worries and mental disturbances; he was passing through a moment ago. He felt himself on cloud nine. The organic enjoyment made him buoyant. He forgot every mundane thing of the pavonine ephemeral world that often gives him pain.

He was a type who didn’t worry much about the future. His impulsive nature doesn’t allow him to notice petty worries. Like other people, he had positive and negative emotions. He often introspected in the light of happenings and comments passed by people surrounding him. He found that the swarming people were temporary. They would volatilize the moment he was shifted or his responsibility was changed. It was not that the persons were always unknown to him, but his “relatives” and “bosom friends” would also shy away.

In the moments of happiness, when one feels elevated or when the person is in a powerful position, people try to show their affiliation and closeness. This behaviour is chiefly shown by a selfish person who tries to capitalise on the popularity and position of the person they try to cling to. It is, nevertheless, a temporary phase. No one knows what the future holds. It is solely dependent upon the deeds performed in the now. In light of it, worrying about the future is futile and holds no water. It results in ruining the current moment, which should have been utilised properly, and can significantly contribute to a better future.

Recently, in June this year, an incident was reported in mainstream media. A distressed peasant from Madhya Pradesh was pleading with a godman to bless him for his marriage. The despondent was a middle-aged man of 45. His concern was that he had 18 acres of farmland and no heir to look after it. The farmland and properties would be left uncared for if he were not married. The godman tried to pacify him, but he persisted in his wish.

A female hoodwinker saw him speaking on TV. She insinuated herself as a lady of his religion and proposed to marry him. The desperate farmer wasted no time and fled to marry her. Just a few days after their fake marriage in a local temple, his dead body was found in a drain. The conwoman, in collusion with her fiancé, eliminated him in hopes of inheriting the deceased’s property. Did she get the property? No, certainly not.

A vicious action has its fallout. The treachery, racketeering, betrayal and deception are not only crimes but sins. It can never be fruitful, even if a racketeer feels successful. It must be borne in mind that one can win a race by honest hard work, not by pushing and injuring others. Applying shortcuts and thinking smart never gives results except for landing such persons in troubled waters and severe punishment.

The incident also shows that undue desperation can lead a person to doom. It is an eye-opener. The poor farmer who was worried about the future of his property got nothing; he lost his life with an unfulfilled wish. He tried to control his future, but failed. His end was horrendous. He would have never expected such an end to his life. This case exemplifies how unnatural or disproportionately big expectations can become horrifically harmful. This mentality begets a sense of possessiveness up to the extent of lust and ends up in a complex situation. Infested with a high degree of lust and attachment, the person behaves like a custodian and owner. It becomes an incurable obsession where he treats other people of subordinate nature as his personal property. They start taking a person for granted and try to control each and every aspect of others’ lives, be it their studies, job, marriage, relationship, or even having children. They go to the extent of depriving the person of his liberty in the name of being extra protective. They do it because, as they think, they care and are worried.

Worry is an intrinsic human trait. No one is worry-free. The degree varies. Some are very worried and while some are carefree. They tend not to give a damn to problems. For them, problems are not obstacles but opportunities to learn and cope with challenges.

One should not be complacent either. The best way is to adopt a mix of worry and determination to accept the challenge and win it. It is futile to think about the result or be overly optimistic about the positive results. The most important things are dedication and worry-free hard work. It matters the most. Worrying about the result is a symptom of doubt on one’s labour and efforts. A genuine and sincere effort will undoubtedly yield positive results. Lord Krisna, in His discourse in the Gita, expresses it well. He emphasises that the actions are controllable, not the results. Doing the right work in the right direction and amount leads to palatable results. It is the way the Almighty gratifies the doer.

Excessive worry about mishappenings and unexpected harm, or insecurity, is the root cause of superstition. Individuals with weak mentality often sway and seek refuge in spiritual leaders for a cure or remedy. It is unfruitful and ultimately frustrates people. It can sometimes lead them to take unexpectedly horrific and frightening steps. A few years back, the incident of Buradi near Delhi was a glaring example where about 12 members of a family collectively committed suicide, hanging from the ceiling of the house.

Excess of everything is bad. Worrying about anything can be beneficial, but it becomes horrifically dangerous when tamed. Excessive worry can be detrimental to an individual’s mental and physical health. One must not believe dogmatically. It should have a small amount of caution and a large amount of self-confidence and effort. The answer to those who worry about the future lies in their now. The past has gone, and the future is dependent on the current. So, why waste energy on negative things? The energy needs to be channelled and used in productive work that ultimately leads to success and happiness in the future.

-END-