Short-Cut to PEACE

If you clicked on this post thinking you will find a shortcut to peace, then I will try not to disappoint you. Rather, I would give you a known answer right away. “Detachment” is the short cut to peace, yes, this is the answer you generally get when in search of it. And that is what makes you a sage, is what I would say to that answer. But I don’t want to renounce the world, I just want peace of mind.

 And anyways, how easy is it to take that short cut, being detached, route? You know the route , you will find humps that are like challenges life throws at you, traffics are like distractions which might force you to change your direction and signals are those short stops, where you can change your mind and take a detour. It is like that dessert kept in front of a person on diet, always tempting but here if you give in, you will be changing the direction away from your goal.

We are ordinary people; we cannot leave everything behind and start meditating. We can’t leave family, friends, or work. We need them for maintaining our sanity in this challenging world.

But the problem starts when our happiness is proportional to materialistic pleasures. The more you earn, the more you want, we know it all, yet we are natural prey to it.

I believe in this changing world the route to peace too changes. I don’t believe with the textbook saying that by limiting TV time, less use of the internet, and by less shopping, you are getting close to peace. Though true, this rule will work for a super determined person. For an ordinary person like me, I think I still can hunt my way to peace, and if not anything, I surely am guaranteed of lifetime peaceful sleep.

So, I have few steps redefined for people like me. And don’t forget everything done in moderation is always good. Here is my take on few of the ideal steps that are said to guarantee you peace.

TV and Peace :  Who are we kidding ! this is the Netflix era and currently like most of you I am on self-quarantine, facing or surviving the great COVID time. I am sure we all have favorite series that are so engrossing, that you forget all the pain or difficulties you might be going through. I strongly believe some time off from your pain can refresh your mind and help you cope with it better. I am not saying watch TV in your difficult times but then you won’t be thinking of that annoying person in your life for a while for sure. 

 Internet and Peace : Yes! they say browse less to refrain yourself from unwanted shopping. I agree, but can we live without the internet! I won’t get my mails, my WhatsApp messages, and what about all the doubts that keep popping up in my brain just because I have google. So here, advertising companies target us with great offers popping everywhere on your screen. So before browsing, better understand that you wearing that expensive new dress just to attend someone’s marriage, won’t change a thing in their life nor yours. Better, impress someone with your personality rather than clothes or a branded watch. Use the internet for yourself, to be aware of things happening around rather being a victim of intrusive advertisers.

Shopping and Peace : I love to shop to start with. More than clothes, I prefer bags and watches. But I buy them for myself and I don’t think a bag or a watch can define me. Ideal peace believers think, shopping less and using second hands or used things can help you attain peace. Frankly, I do believe in this and would add, shop whatever you need and of course sometimes shop for the love of things too. But the reason behind that shopping must be your need and your likes rather than others. The moment you start thinking like this you will shop less, as ordinarily, one’s needs are less, unless you are trying to impress others. And I do believe in buying rented stuff like books majorly. Some even rent clothes for certain special occasions. I think that is clever, as it is easy on your pocket and no stress of keeping an expensive dress forever in your wardrobe.

Environment and Peace : The hard work of maintaining a garden or growing your own vegetables only a person doing it knows. You need a lot of patience, energy, and dedication to maintain it. Not everyone can love doing it, agreed. But yes, with this global warming we can at the least take the responsibility of planting one tree and trust me seeing something grow gives you so much peace and you are also giving something back to the earth. Start with one seed one pot, you will see it grow with so much joy that, you may even end up planting more. Plants can really plant happiness in your life which might help you en route peace.

Emotions and Peace : We all have at least that one person who affects you negatively. Be it that random Aunty who called you fat, that friend of yours who stole your limelight, that online person who trolled you, that one word your relative said that hurt you so bad. Some people or instances hurt us emotionally, which is tough to erase from our memory. Sadly, in this struggle of daily routine, we forget we live only once. You are not going to take one more birth to fulfill your unfulfilled dreams.  And more importantly, you do not know how long you are going to live. Remember this every morning you wake up and you will find the strength to filter your emotions better. Let alone you be responsible for your sadness and not someone else. You blame your life for its downfall and you will only rise after it.

It is easy for someone to say things but difficult to follow but, aren’t we lucky if we realize it and implement it rather analyse the source. I am no expert and I can’t give away TV/internet/ reading/ shopping. But I would do all of it, in moderation. I will watch things that make me happy, enlighten myself by reading, be thankful for whatever I have and try to give back something to the society by being aware of what’s happening around the world and keep my emotions under my control and not others. So, if I first live for myself, people around me too will be happy. So, my shortcut to peace is easy. I live with everything needed and not everything I crave for.