Reflections on Guilt.

1. “Guilt happens when this one is doing something that this one thinks it should not be doing.”

This is only partially true.
As long as the action is pleasurable and gives no immediate bad outcomes, there is no guilt. It may even be thrilling. Or suspenseful.
Guilt arises only after the outcome is decidedly bad (unpreferable) for the guilty party. Either inward (mental) bad outcomes or bad external situations.

2. “Guilt happens when this one is not in control of the outcomes of actions.”

If I were in control of the outcomes, I would indeed choose the ‘best’ outcome.
Say I do something, with the best interests of others at heart. However, it leads to suffering, regardless of my intentions to help others. This leads to guilt. If the outcome had actually helped others, it would not lead to guilt.
2. is therefore a more acceptable statement at this time.

Solution? 

Learn, gather experience from the recorded footsteps of the great ones, do as they did if you find yourself in similar situations.

Or if you find yourself outside the beaten path, either seek safety, or go forth bravely, make mistakes and learn. Recognise your mistakes. Don’t forget your mistakes, or you’re doomed to repeat them. 

You live here, now. If you have access to material, learn from them, learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of others, and do not repeat them.

And before you try to help others, make sure you’re not caught in the same trap. If you are, recognize it. Free yourself first.

“Yeh kya hua. Kyun hua. Kab hua… Yeh na socho!”

Do you seek safety? Do you want to go forth bravely?
Do you want to take up arms, or are you content to stand?

Armed or not, I must make my stand. But I do want the safety of having learnt how to fight. 

A person goes through life.
Silently.
Braving all his storms, never complaining.
Seeing him walk, you wouldn’t think
That he’s been through such suffering.
But,
Ask him. Hold his hand.
Maybe, he’ll pour his heart out to you.
Or maybe yet, he’ll smile bravely,
Then bid “Adieu!”

A meaningful life is what we make of it. We add meaning. Inherently, it’s meaningless, the only built-in ‘purpose’ if any, being to propagate life. (Are we making it difficult for life to propagate, by our actions?)
Whether one tries something huge like ‘mitigate suffering for all’, or bravely faces his share of it, never complaining or adding to the burdens of another- both are noble.

What calls to me?
No, not merely digesting my share.
I want to taste, and make something tasty too!
Gotta take up arms, then.
Please, teach me how.

Oh, to be a block of marble at the great sculptor’s workshop.
Make me, or break me, but don’t forsake me.
I wore velcros to avoid tying shoelaces,
But tying knots, it seems, comes naturally!

Picture: Pixabay, https://pixabay.com/photos/forge-craft-hot-to-form-iron-550622/