Two forces control human life and career, Labour and Destiny. Some men from the lowest rings of the ladder of success rising to the topmost rings of it by sheer industry by dint of incessant toil. Meet with disappointments and failures in the early stages – obstacles and hurdles – slowly overcome them. Others born with a silver spoon in they’re mouths born to a fortune shine in life by reason of noble parentage or high ancestry.
Comparative estimate of the fruits of labour and the gifts of fortune: “Joy in labour”. Carlyle’s famous saying; “work is worship.” The philosophy of Karma in the Geeta-Man, says Lord Krishna, is to act in the living present, regardless of the consequences of action. (Hindu Mythology) The fruits of labour come as a matter of course-the relentless law of action operating in human life.
Similar ideals preached by every great religion. Blessed is everyone that feareth the Lord…for thou shall eat the labour of thine hands and happy shalt thou be. Psalm 128.
Analysis of happiness that comes of honest labour:
- That which comes of personal effort is full of hope. But if fortune favours once, it does not necessarily follow that she will favour again.
- Every gift of fortune overwhelms one by a sense of slavery. No such sense of
obligation attaches to the person who puts in honest work. - Success that comes at the end of a career of honest labour extorts the admiration of the world; but the gifts of fortune always inspire energy and jealousy in the less fortunate neighbor’s minds.
- The fruits of labour teach the labourer lessons in prudence; those who are born to fortune often waste it on useless pursuits.
[the_ad id=”17141″]In Pakistan as elsewhere; two types of benefactors. Some who are born rich give away large sums of money to institutions; they have little sense of the moral worth attaching to their acts of charity. Lord Nuffield in England (during the Second World War) gave large donations amounting to millions of pounds but he himself born rich. Similarly, many millionaires in Pakistan born to large fortunes-their benefactions have little moral worth. But those who earn by the sweat of their brow and sacrifice their hard-earned money for the good of the country deserve higher praise such benefactors themselves derive greater joy from such acts of charity.
Fruits from one’s own gardens more delicious than bought in the market. A self-made man prouder and happier than one who has risen to a high position through patronage. In Pakistan at the present day advancement in life often depends on fortune or recommendations, not on personal labour or merit. Therefore Great need for this lesson.
Heaven sells all pleasure; effort is the price;
The joys of conquest are the joys of man;
Dr. Young
