Taking control starts with being honest, with oneself and those around you. Being true to yourself becomes the surest foundation you can build upon. Examine your values.
One might equally say, that an honest enemy is better than a fake friend.
ਨਾਲਿ ਕਿਰਾੜਾ ਦੋਸਤੀ ਕੂੜੈ ਕੂੜੀ ਪਾਇ ॥
False is friendship with the false and greedy. False is its foundation.
Verse from Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikh faith.
Life pre-pandemic was filled with noise, hubbub and demands on my time. Too many demands in fact. The demands came from people I no longer want in my life. With the distance of post-pandemic hindsight, some of those relationships and encounters seem based on falsehoods, the needs of others over any benefit to me. They needed my light to make their efforts seem brilliant. I now choose to shine that light elsewhere.
I know my values. I know where they spring from. It’s very liberating to be free of the parasitic control of others’ needs.
False is friendship with the false and greedy. False is its foundation.
The truest relationship we can have, aside from that with ourselves, is with nature. Yes, it is also in relationships with other living beings too, and people. But only on the basis of being honest and true to yourself. Try it. You can still care for a wider society or community, without sacrificing yourself.
Sanjit Chudha 