Knock on the same door
Knock on the same door
This post originally I had written for my spiritual blog, but it contains insights for entrepreneurs and all others as well. Where I am mentioning Guru, one can replace with mentor. Do share your thoughts and queries in the comments.
Have you noticed that when in life difficulties come, we knock on the same set of doors? Now these doors have been earlier knocked on and some have helped, most have not.
I remember my own difficult time I did the same thing and got the same answers from the same people, when I knew the outcome why did I do so? What made me think that this time they would help? Why did I open myself up to more slap downs and an earful of hurtful words? I used to wonder on it and never found answers.
Soon I got my answer and that too quite unexpectedly! One day at Guruji’s Ashram I was standing with Him near a window. In the morning hours, all the mosquitoes and insects fly out, there were these couple of them who were continuously literally knocking on the netlon mesh and trying to go out. I said to Him, ‘There is this big door on this side lying fully open, why don’t they just fly out from there, instead of repeatedly trying from a closed space?’
Guruji looked at me and said, ’Are you not doing the same thing in your life? You are knocking on the same closed doors with blinkers on and are repeatedly trying to open them to get answers to your issues!’ I sheepishly looked at Him and asked then what to do Guruji?
Guruji said, ‘Open up your mind, do lateral thinking, think out of the box.’ I was still looking down with a crestfallen expression on my face, when he said, ‘ Listen to this story from Shri Ramakrishna Parmahansa’s book.
The story…. One day a woodcutter was chopping wood in the jungles, after a while he sat down tired and was worried. A passing saint saw him and asked what the problem was? When the woodcutter explained, the saint responded with, ‘Go ahead!’ Initially the woodcutter just wondered what instructions he had been given. The next time when he was in the forest, he remembered the saint’s advice and decided to go further into the woods. As he went further he found a silver mine, he took a sufficient amount with him and went home to his family. They started enjoying a good and a comfortable life. Then he recalled the saint’s advice again, ‘Go ahead!’ He again went to the forest, further than the silver mine and found a gold mine! He was happier than before and led an even more comfortable life. He again went to the forest and went still further and found a diamond mine! He was thrilled to bits.
I asked Guruji what the story meant, Guruji replied,’ It means that just because you are facing problems does not mean you stop trying, when from some doors you do not get answers, go knock some more and more and more. Sometimes for the right door to open for you it is destined that you knock on all the others which did not reply.’ ‘Remember that student who got married to the 13th alliance he was introduced to. To reach 13, he had to go from 1-12.’ Always keep in mind that there is no stopping, you have to ahead and ahead and ahead and this you have to do with full Faith and you will find your answers!
I followed his advice and did find my answers and it was exactly as he said, I had to keep knocking and knocking and knocking! By the way I had not shared with him that I had been unsuccessful in my efforts, then how did he know what was going on with me at that time? That’s how the Guru’s are, there is nothing hidden from them. I am truly Laki(lucky) to have Him guide me!
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