This post has been selected for Tangy Tuesday Picks- 11th July 2017 at Blogadda.
While growing up, I often heard my grandmother say that ‘faith’ can move mountains. I didn’t really understand what it meant at that time but I believed my grandmother simply because I loved her. I won’t be wrong if I say that my generation grew up (Gosh! This makes me feel so ancient!) Listening to the old folklore narrated by the grandparents (It is true our dadi and nani did tell us bedtime stories) where the good always overcame the evil in the end whether these were the tales from Panchatantra, Jataka Tales, Mahabharta or Ramayana.
I also remember one particular story about an ordinary woman named ‘Sati’ who brought her husband back from dead by the sheer force of her ‘faith’ and belief (there that word came up again!) before which even Yama, the lord of Death had to bow down and accept defeat. There is another story of the child Prahlada who was tortured by his own father for worshipping God. His father tried to kill him many times but he was saved every time by Lord Vishnu who then incarnated as Lord Narsimha and killed his father to save his child devotee. Similarly Lord Shiva appeared to save Markandeya from Yama, the Lord of Death as Markandeya was a devotee and had full faith in the Lord.
As a child, with no cable T.V. and not much of cinema to pollute your mind, you actually believed these stories to be true. In fact, you revered these characters that were larger than life. One tried to emulate them in one’s life. We tried to imbibe the values they stood for. Life was easy and simple then. Now the question arises, what exactly is ‘faith’? Some say it is complete confidence or trust in a person or thing or any set of firmly held principles or beliefs. Others say it is a belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion. I would say that it is the belief that we have in our parents and in that Supreme Power which is invisible to the naked eye.
I feel that in today’s difficult times, it is essential to have faith in some supreme power as it gives us the courage and mental strength to bear the hardships that the life at times doles out to us. Always remember we need to be grounded that is have strong roots to stand tall and proud in trying times. So, do have faith in something good. I do not promise that with faith in your heart life will be a ‘bed of roses’ but it surely will not be a ‘bed of thorns’ as faith will soften the blows of hardships and give you the vigour to bear them with a smile. It may be the lack of ‘faith’ and the disbelief in the existence of a supreme power that makes us suffer or develop complexities of character or doubt ourselves in the face of adversities of life. So, have faith and be a believer. Try it out it has no side effects!
© 2017 Shaloo Walia All rights reserved
Its really a great post. Its nice to know our elders had tried so many ways to infuse faith within us. Yes we are in need to have faith in supreme power. I feel we can even trust us , as what is there above us is also within us.
Thanks! When we have faith in God, we will have faith in ourselves too.
Well said Shaloo. Having faith gives us hope to wade through the challenging times in life!
True!
Very true!
Thanks!
Stories do inspire us as children but faith evolves as we grow up…whether it is connected with religion or people, I like those who develop the power to question the illogical. Blind faith makes dummies out of people.
There are certain things which cannot be explained by logic. One can understand God only by having faith in him and not by applying logic.
Its a nice post. I agree with you that it is essential to have faith in some supreme power because it gives us the strength to deal with any kind of circumstances.
Thank you ?
Thanks for the reminder Shaloo!
My pleasure ?