In the Gita chanting class yesterday, an elderly aunty joined in from the hospital. She said, "I underwent knee surgery and couldn't join the class yesterday. I'll be here for the next three days and will join the classes".
It felt so inspiring to see her sincerity and commitment to attend the classes despite her present condition. I see many senior citizens participating in these classes with so much dedication.
Consistency becomes easier when we are enjoying the process rather than wondering (or worrying) about the end outcome.
The materialistic world has made us overly concerned about "What's in it for me? Does this give money, power, position, or fame? What's the use of putting in the effort? How do I extract value from a new idea/initiative? Is there a monetization opportunity?".
Such a result-oriented mindset takes away the joy of doing. The pursuit of curiosity merely becomes a source of identifying business opportunities.
Doing things just for the sake of doing is slowly getting lost OR pushed to the list of retirement hobbies to take up after 60. My question to such folks is - "Dude, how are you so sure you'll live up to 60?"
A simple question - "Why I do what I do?" brings a lot of clarity. Be it a stressful job, a business idea, a competitive exam, or higher education - this question is a MUST before we embark on them or even when we are too involved in such pursuits. Following the herd might sound like a safe bet in our 20s when we are unsure about our inherent nature and our interests. Once we gain that clarity, it is better to carve out our own path.
Waiting to LIVE AND EXPLORE in the 60s/70s is a huge risk we are taking. It is dependent on multiple factors - the lifespan that is fixed for us, health conditions - both physical and mental, future responsibilities and challenges, and the state of society.