Live ordinary life extraordinarily!Love is the art of living!

GUEST COLUMN: Dr N Prabhudev

Bengaluru Express
Bengaluru, Sep 2:
Living is the art of caring! Caring is the art of sharing. Sharing is the art of living!
The journey towards happiness is more fulfilling than the destination.
Happiness is a universal human desire, yet its definition remains elusive and contentious. It is a combination of virtue and prosperity, fulfilment and pleasure. To practise the art of life and to make one’s life a ‘work of art’, one has to perpetually redefine self – The tension between self-interest and altruism defines our approach to happiness!
The difference between ordinary and extraordinary boils down to ‘fitting in’ versus ‘standing out’. Trying to fit in is the safe, predictably ordinary route, where you live according to others’ expectations and norms. Being extraordinary means Dare to be different and not being afraid to stand out. Ordinary is choice dictated by what is considered ‘normal’ or ‘acceptable’.
Care deeply, connect playfully, love intensely, and share generously. Suffer, learn, and grow. Suffer calmly – with dignity and serenity. Never separate the life you lead from the words you speak. Always remember-A man can be happy with any woman as long as he does not love her. Always forgive your enemies, nothing annoys them so much!
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We’ve learned to make a living, but not how to live a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a neighbour. We’ve conquered the world, but not our ego and prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less.
Time passes, Memories fade, Feelings change and People leave. Then comes loneliness! No matter who you are, I don’t think anyone is born knowing the reason why they’re here. It’s something you have to find as you go along. I am what I choose to become. Knowing is difficult – that’s why people judge!
Take a look at your own life. How would you describe it? Contented, Rushed, Exciting, Stressful, moving forward, holding back? For many of us it’s all of the above at times. The purpose of life is not merely to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honourable, to be compassionate and to make some difference that you have lived and lived well.
It’s funny! A hello is always accompanied with a goodbye! It’s funny how good memories can make you cry! it’s funny how forever- never seems to last, it’s funny how friends can just leave when you’re down, it’s funny how when you need someone they never are around, it’s funny how people change and are so much better for that, it’s funny how so many lies are packed into one love letter, it’s funny how one night can hold so much regret, it’s funny how you can forgive but not forget, it’s funny how ironic life turns out to be.
We chase accomplishments, status, wealth, and validation! We all believe that if we just do more or have more, only then we feel worthy. Society tells us to be extraordinary or be a no-body and by that logic, mediocrity is the general state of humanity! Only 1 in 100 can be in the top 1%! That’s a terrible bargain: one somebody in a world full of nobodies!
Living an extraordinary life is a goal many of us strive for but often find elusive. When you choose to break away from the norm, you’re bound to face resistance and criticism – Cultivate resilience! At the end of the day, living an extraordinary life comes down to one thing – being true to yourself.

It’s about embracing who you are, following your own path, and living according to your own rules. Live an extraordinary life, one that’s authentically yours.

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