16th June 2010
"Little progress can be made by merely attempting to repress what is evil; our great hope lies in developing what is good."
Calvin Coolidge
The dictionary meaning of the word `repress' is `bring under control by force' `try not to have or show a thought or feeling' `trying to keep your feelings or desires hidden'. We cannot make any progress by repressing our feelings or actions which we want to do by our natural instinct. If we attempt to do it either for ourselves or for others, it will amount to manipulation. Such a change cannot last for long. We will not be able to sustain our actions.
On the other hand we should focus all our efforts in developing what is good. We have to choose to do what is good and not be compelled not to do what we should not do. Stephen Covey says that between fight and flight, human beings have the freedom to choose what is good. We should educated ourselves on what is good for us and focus on the same.
Instead of saying, `I don't want to be lazy', say `I want to be active', instead of saying `I don't want to over eat', say `eat right', instead of saying `I don't want to smoke', say `quit smoking for good'. This inner dialogue will give us the mental stamina to focus on what is good. The more and more we repress ourselves, we will feel the tension and stress.
Over this weekend list all the things which you have been repressing and see if you can focus your attention to develop what is good.
N C Sridharan
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