We have spent our lifetime building the home we live in. Today, during the lockdown, in that same home, the human feels caged. In some families, time is easily spent due to children and elders in the home. However, there are some families facing mental health issues due to being locked in their homes. Pujya Bhaishri provides his message and provides us with guidance on what to do in these times.
Feeling caged in your home? Family Issues in Lockdown? – Pujya Bhaishri’s message
Due to the impact of technology in our lives, we have begun to live in a commercial world more. We have started to disconnect with our closed ones. This same technology is a blessing in the current times to be able to connect to the outside world. Although we cannot Corona virus a blessing, today, if we look at this positively, you have the opportunity to connect with those close to you, from who you have disconnected. However, if you take your home as a jail, you will remain miserable. The skill is how we build our thoughts.
Rewind your past life and reflect on it. Accept any mistakes you may have made with generosity and understanding, and say with love, “Really, did I hurt you in this way? Sorry, I did not mean it to hurt you, but if you have felt insulted, or if I have hurt you, I am very sorry for that. Tell me more, what else do you not like about me?” Both a husband and wife can ask this to each other.
Hence, use this time wisely to know one another, rather than consider this lockdown as a punishment in a jail.
During the music celebrations in Kashi, at the start of the programme, I notice how the musicians try to harmonise their instruments with one another as well as give plenty of respect. The sitar player will tell the harmonium player to give him a musical note to create harmony. Then the drum player will do the same to the harmonium player. Once all the musicians are set, the main performer will humbly ask permission from the rest of the musicians, “Do I have permission? Should we start?” Then they will all, with great respect, fold their hands to the main performer, bow and agree to start. Look at this behaviour of goodwill.
Thereafter slowly and steady, they will begin. What amazing music emerges. This is the time to harmonise one another’s scale of music.
When doing so, if one is playing at a note that you cannot join because you have a limitation, like the musicians, harmonise with different tones that will blend into the music. Understand your limits. Converse with the other person that if you try to reach to the expectations, they have of you, then you may burn out. It will make you useless. So, let us compromise.
I am saying all these things because in countries like China, familial issues are on the rise due to this lockdown and many cases of divorce are being filed.
This is not just about the relationship between a husband and wife. It also includes the elderly parents, the current parents and their young children. Let there be conversation amongst all of them. It is then possible, that initially, the environment may feel dull, because the drums of one may play different to the harmonium or sitar. Now this is the time to again make the environment in your home harmonious.
Stay very positive, continuously be alert and be disciplined, with the mind, speech as well as senses. There is joy in having fun with little. Share and eat. Understand this and explain it to others. There may not be many things in the house, you may not be able to go out of the house to buy something and the wife will say, “Today I have only made 2 dishes”. Then be happy and respond that you will all cherish the two dishes! Besides, men should also go into the kitchen and help.
Once again I say, you have one opportunity to bring back music and create harmony in an environment that has lost this.
To create harmony may take time. One speed breaker will arise. You may have to slow down your vehicle. Should you fail to see the speed breaker as you may not have been alert, then the car will jump. But that will re-alert you and you will brake. Once you have braked, then the car will not drive in the same high gear. You will start from a small gear and catch speed slowly.
Hence, whether it is the vehicle of arrangements within the house, money, our business or job, it will slowly catch speed but always remember that no issue is permanent. Every issue has an end. Every night has a morning.
May God liberate the world from this pandemic of Coronavirus quickly.
Watch video with this Sandesh in Hindi by Pujya Bhaishri