External nature is only internal nature writ large.
Swami Vivekananda
Masses are drawn by the ideals of Swami Vivekananda. His preachings define the course of life of people. I recently found a story, a true life instance that overturns the whole Vivekananda's preachings.
"Love never fails, my son; today or tomorrow or ages after, truth will conquer. Love shall win the victory. Do you love your fellow men? Where should you go to seek for God -- are not all the poor, the miserable, the weak, Gods? Why not worship them first?"
My colleague Gustavo weighed all his hopes on this philosophy. Gustavo's brother Rico was a true spirit. He was in love. Rico loved Naila passionately. Every moment of their life they swore to fulfil their dreams. They belonged to different worlds. Rico and his beloved Naila were in a relationship for 7 years. Each day of their togetherness was a pilgrimage for them. Rico wished to achieve the moon for his beloved.
Rico left for work early every day. He promised to commit his life to pave a blossomed path for his better half. As time passed the relationship reached new heights of sacrifice. However the sacrifice was never just from one side. Nalia longed for unconditional Love and Rico longed for supportive love. Rico spent sleepless nights at office planning future. Naila felt lonely.
After seven years they decided to split. Perhaps ego weighed more than Love. As rational beings they found themselves in all new platforms. Their ego and self craving veiled their true feelings.
Rico's life shattered when he realized his life and love lost for ever. The split. Rico went into depression. He fought with all his logics. He was unsettled. Naila felt deprived. She felt cheated. Rico went into depression for years. Gustavo, like may others, never understood what went wrong. How can Love be so cruel. He saw his elder brother wither away.
Gustavo was at a tender age when all this misfortune happened. He never got chance to understand relations better. For him his brother was epitome for life, success, failure and Love. Rico left home. In a way he left life. Rico went to Himalayas, the sanctimonious graveyard for every de trenched spirit. Rico was devastated and so was his family.
Rico and Gustavo were supported by Martha, their beloved mother. Martha lost her husband just after birth of Gustavo. She never let her sons compromise for any thing less. Martha supported Rico in all his decisions. She prayed Jesus to guide her elder son to tranquillity.
Rico found solace at Vivekananda Ashram at Calcutta. He saw life as flow of energy. He felt connected to life after 3 years from his splitting with Nalia. He now felt connected to 'Parmatma'. He was now happy to forgo his miseries.
All this long my friend, Gustavo never got back his elder brother. Martha never got back her elder son. The family longed for a wholeness.
After 6 years of all this misfortune Gustavo longs for his brother. Gustavo has lost faith from Love. He can't reason with the Vivekananda's philosophy. If a human can not perform his/ her responsibility towards family, If he/ she can not once again fall in love, if he/ she can not return back to normal life, if he/ she can not realize the lovingness of family, the how can he/ she reach a higher truth.
Gustavo knows his brother would never come back. He cries in darkness, wishes his silent prayers would be heard some day. Martha looks forward to Gustavo to fill moments to her emptiness. To add to this excruciating agony, Gustavo has lost his faith on relationship.
Did Swami Vivekananda truly ment this when he preached, "Love never fails, my son; today or tomorrow or ages after, truth will conquer". After all if we cant love our dear ones then how can we love the unknown.
Relationships are not materialistic attachments, rather they are divine testimonies of our past good deeds. We must not find reasons to forget our responsibilities, rather find reasons to support them and look to grow them much beyond the realms of our family.
After all -
The family is the nucleus of civilization.# Will Durant
