Achievement

My dear Amma,

A simple task I accomplished today gave me a wonderful feeling of achievement and satisfaction. Perhaps it was because I had managed to persevere and complete the task, even overcoming a small hurdle or two, instead of taking the route that is normal to me - and giving up.

It made me think Amma, about hard work and persistence; passion and energy. These are not qualities I am at all familiar with, except in words.

I have always wished I was successful in a very hazy, 'wishful thinking' kind of way; wanting to achieve something without putting in any kind of effort or giving anything at all. The simple laws of physics should have told me that that was a wish doomed to failure. The law of conservation of energy states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it can only be transformed from one state to another. Can the lack of energy of laziness and wishful thinking possibly transform into success? Without the active energy of persistence and passion how can achievement possibly happen?

It struck me too Amma, that an accidental success would not give the same sort of joy as success fought for and won and would not in the long run, be worth having.

You know better than anybody Amma, how lazy I am, how much I procrastinate and tend to put off things. Help me overcome that laziness and easy come, easy go attitude, Amma. I want the joy of true accomplishment; not the spurious pleasure of getting things that came by luck and no effort on my part.

Thank you for being in my life, dear Amma; and for the love and grace you shower constantly on me.

With love and gratitude from your loving daughter,

Vidya