Playing The Game Of Life

Swami Chinmayananda

oi-Staff

Tuesday, December 22, 2009, 16:11

Life is a series of experiences. If you make life a war, it will be you against the world. Therefore, make life a game and play it well. Let us take the game of cricket, a very popular game in India, as an analogy for the game of life. Cricket is played on a field with a pitch ( the playing area between the bowler and the batsman) in the center and three stumps on either end. The bowler bowls the balls, which the batsman tries to hit, and the fielders try to get the batsman out. Around the field and on bleachers, there are many spectators - some who are encouraging, others who are hostile. Under such circumstances, how can the batsman be successful in his goal of hitting the ball and obtaining a run?

He must be fearless and not become frightened of the bowler and the fielders.

He must know how to deal with all types of bowling. If he knows how to handle only one type of bowling, then he will be bowled out easily.

He must be alert constantly.

He must maintain his balance, physically and emotionally, and not get excited, especially when he is about to score a century ( 100 runs)

He must learn to face a hostile crowd with courage, and not get overpowered by the tactics of the opposing team.

His behavior must be impeccable, because all the spectators around the field are watching. People are viewing the game on television, listening to the commentary, or will read about the game in the newspaper the following day. When one man makes play, the eyes of the entire nation are on him. With one act of misbehavior, not only does he get a bad name, but also his entire team and nation.

Looking at our lives as if they were a game of cricket: Our individual field may be very limited - our home, school, or office. In whatever field we may be playing, we are being tested: there may be many people who are trying to pull us down. There are also many who encourage us - friends, relatives, and family members.

We are confronted with several different bowling styles - various types of problems - medical, work-related, financial, family, social, political and so forth. Now if we specialize in one field, for example, like a doctor who can solve medical problems, we might not know what to do when problems in other areas arise. Often a specialist in one field is able to deal with problems in his or here area only and is stumped when problem situations arise in other areas.

About the author

Swami Tejomayananda

Swami Tejomayananda, the Chairman and spiritual head of Chinmaya Mission worldwide, is one of the foremost disciples of Swami Chinmayananda. He is an outstanding teacher of Vedanta and an accomplished poet, author, and composer.