Of Investments

Of Investments

Where Are You Investing Your Life? 

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The idea of investment is a sign of intelligence. We invest our resources for a secure future. And not only us, but animals also do this. Because it’s such a great strategy. But, this concept is equally valid in living. So, I will talk about Life Investment today. 

Investing anything—be it our money, our trust, our emotions or anything—requires a great deal of thought and calculated decision takings. So is in life investment! Where we are investing our life is a question worth pondering over again and again. Usually, we live in a habitual, repetitive way, without any forethought. And we don’t look at where we are heading in our lives. But, isn’t this worth paying attention to? Have you ever asked yourself, “Where am I investing my life and where do I actually want to invest?” 

For most of us, we are invested in surviving in this competitive, brutal world; for our living, for educating ourselves, for bringing about political change, and for us Indians, maybe in Cricket! Cricket is not just a game now. It has become somewhat like a sports religion! Anyway, I’m not talking about us Indians here. I am talking about human life itself. 

Some devote their lives to art, some to Science; some to sports, others to business. In whichever thing we invest our life that is what’s going to define our life, not just ourselves! Do you see this? It’s up to us where we want to give our life, but we should always remember the above statement. Now, what does investing our life actually mean? 

To answer this we must answer what life is. Isn’t life, from the perspective of human life, just a limited amount of time and energy? So, these are the two things that really make our life. Where we are investing these—is all that matters. 

There’s another important question which we must consider: is there any best thing to invest our life in? 

Well, I’m nobody to say anything conclusively here, but I think the best investment is in knowing ourselves! Self-knowledge! Or, you can say, spiritual awakening. It’s the same. 

Survival is not and should not be the be-all and end-all of our life. Human life actually starts after survival has been achieved, both physically and financially. Human life is a possibility. How much of that possibility we talk into is, I think, the greatest work in our lives—and helping others to achieve that. 

I must point out a critical difference here, between investment for living and life investment. Whereas in investment for living we look for security in the future, in the case of life investment, that is not the goal. We are not trying to invest our life into something to be secure. The demand for security again comes from the survival instinct, no? But, as I said, human life starts after survival is ensured. So, what’s the effort for—you may ask. To be free! Just that. To be free from this repetitive cycle of existence, to be free from the very game of survival! That’s it. 

So, invest your life wisely. After all, life is a limited lease of time and energy. Don’t waste your life in useless and ultimately meaningless pursuits. Live in such a way that the possibility that you carry as a human being becomes a shining trail for others. That’s the greatest investment, I think. 

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Thank you.

Image Credit: istockphoto.