LESSON OF THE DAY 502

Ayah of the Day:
And God has made an example of two men, one of whom is mute and has no power over anything, being entirely dependent on his guardian, bringing no good whichever way the latter directs him: is he equal to one who commends straightforwardness, and is himself on the straight path? [16: 76]

Hadith of the Day:
No one has superiority over another except by piety. [Tirmidhi]

Wise Quote of the Day:
How strange is the one who considers God to be the Ultimate Reality and yet relies on others exclusively. [Othman radi Allah anhu]


Guidance of the Day:
One more passing show: It's a subtle reminder that everything--the good and bad, pleasure and pain, approval and disapproval, achievements and mistakes, fame and shame--all come and go. Everything has a beginning and an ending and that's the way it's supposed to be. Every experience you ever had is over. Every thought you've ever had started and finished. every emotion and mood you've experienced has been replaced by another. You've been happy, sad, jealous, depressed, angry, in love, shamed, proud, and every other conceivable human feeling. Where did they all go? The answer is no one really know. All we know is that eventually, everything disappears into nothingness. Welcoming this truth into your life is the beginning of a liberating adventure.

Our disappointment comes about in essentially two ways. When we're experiencing pleasure we want it to last for ever. It never does. Or, when we're experiencing pain, we want it to go away--now. It usually doesn't. Unhappiness is the result of struggling against the natural flow of experience. It's enormously helpful to experiment with the awareness that life is just one thing after another. One present moment followed by another present moment.

When something is happening that we enjoy, know that while it's wonderful to experience the happiness it brings, it will eventually be replaced by something else, a different type of moment. If that's okay with you you'll feel peace even when the moment changes. And if you're experiencing some type of pain or displeasure, know that this too will pass. Keeping this awareness close to your heart is a wonderful way to maintain your perspective, even in the face of adversity. It's not always easy, but it is usually helpful. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]

Food for Thought:
Send out anger and impatience, and that's what you'll get. Send out love, and you'll get back love.