OUR SELF IS OUR SWEETEST DARLING: HOW WE MALTREAT OUR SELF?

Philosophy

OUR SELF IS OUR SWEETEST DARLING: HOW WE MALTREAT OUR SELF?

August 25, 2024

We love ourselves the most. If we love ourselves the most, should we maltreat ourselves? Today, I am talking about the ill treatment and criminal neglect to which we subject our self.

Dr. Jernail S. Anand

If we are in a state of confusion, and if our mind is filled with hatred, and if we are vowing vengeance and blood, is it love in any way? I think we are treating our self like an enemy. If we had loved it, we would have made sure there is happiness in our heart, and a balanced feeling of general wellbeing in our mind. If our life has become miserable, or unhappy, it is simply because we have loved other objects, like wealth, and not given proper attention to our own personal life. A person who loves his self will ensure his own happiness and this happiness lies not in amassing wealth and possession, which is a recipe for self-destruction, rather he would share his blessings with the less blessed. What matters most for a right minded person is a smile on his face, not a frown, and he knows, these smiles are possible only when you make others smile.

Let us open the matter with this very question: Can we maltreat our loved ones? And the next question is: Whom you love the most? Now, you may start thinking of your near and dear ones. But my idea of your darling is entirely different. In my opinion, we love ourselves the most. If we love ourselves the most, should we maltreat ourselves? Today, I am talking about the ill treatment and criminal neglect to which we subject our self. You will say, all of us are doing everything for ourselves. Where is the problem?

Life is a Sacred Blessing

I feel we must consider our life sacred. And must respect the blessing that God has given us. We must take care of our happiness, our joy, our health, and our overall being. Property is important. Your sons and daughters are important. You family is important. Society is important and country too. But most important of all is your mental and physical health. Your psychological wellbeing. There should be a smile on your face. And eyes must be glowing. You should be a happy man.

The Sweetest Darling

Our greatest darling is our Self. If you had really loved your Self, will you be living in such misery? Look at your face. Why is it tense? If you love yourself, how can you tolerate your face losing its splendour? Eyes. They were beautiful once. I don’t find any trace of innocence. What are you hiding which your eyes are declaring loud? Let me barge into your mind. It is on fire. You are always in tension. Taking tablets by dozens.

How can you play foul with your Self whom you love so much?

In your mind, I espied some enemies have set up a bivouac. They are lust, greed, anger, jealousy, competition, and a passion for more and more wealth. Do you really need all these things you have assembled? And you pay so many EMI’s. I had told you to marry for love. Did you? Where is your wife? She lives apart with her parents. And where are your kids? One is with me, the daughter with her.

O poor soul! What have you done to yourself? We never treat our loved ones like this. Perhaps you didn’t know the most enduring relation of yours in this world is your Self. Your body. It lives with you till the end. And your mind, which stays with you beyond the end.

From Happiness to Wealth and Prosperity

To a man, nothing is more important than his happiness. You thought it was wealth and prosperity. You chose prosperity. And see the result. You are rich. But can you sleep at night? Is your mind at rest? All the time, you are making calculations. You have set up business after business. And you are a rich man. This heart is now a burning cauldron of desire. Well furnished. Well burnished. People respect you. You are a loud noise in the municipality. No mean gain. People feel jealous. I am also one of them.

Read: We Love Ourselves More Than Other People, But Care About Their Opinions More Than Our Own

Yet, in your eyes, deep below, behind the curtains of acquired sophistication, I see a child being bathed in hot waters. A mind at cross purposes. A confusion. Only one thing that I wanted you should have had, was missing from your eyes, and it was happiness. You face had no glow of its own. I don’t mind the paint. Your body smells foul, your deo’s notwithstanding.

Take Away

Gods did come to meet you. You proved to them you were special in a hundred ways. The exhibition of wealth did not move them. They decided you were not the ordinary, simple man who was happy with his little belongings. You possessed too much, still they couldn’t find joy your nerves. Why was their man so miserable, so unhappy? They were confused, defeated and couldn’t believe you could be such a nincompoop. They gave you so much, and yet, you converted everything into misery. And they left you to your fate with your devils.

Excuse me! I cannot stay with you for long. A man who can’t love himself, how can he love anyone else?

Read: LEARNING LIVING ARTS

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Dr. Jernail Singh Anand, President of the International Academy of Ethics, is author of 167 books in English poetry, fiction, non-fiction, philosophy and spirituality. He was awarded Charter of Morava, the great Award by Serbian Writers Association, Belgrade and his name was engraved on the Poets’ Rock in Serbia. The Academy of Arts and philosophical Sciences of Bari [Italy] honoured him with the award of an Honourable Academic. Recently, he was awarded Doctor of Philosophy [Honoris Causa] by the University of Engineering and Management, Jaipur. Recently, he organized an International Conference on Contemporary Ethics at Chandigarh. His most phenomenal book is Lustus: The Prince of Darkness [first epic of the Mahkaal Trilogy]. Email: anandjs55@yahoo.com