Thoughts on Power

It should be no secret that power runs the world.

It takes power to make things happen and move humanity forward. It takes power to get what you want.

If asked to imagine what power is, you’d probably visualize a strong man holding a weapon and commanding an army, or a superhero single-handedly beating the crap out of a bunch of crooks.

You might also think about men and women getting up on the dais and waving to a raucous crowd of supporters, like Shah Rukh Khan posing with his arms wide open.

The craving for such power is there in all of us. I really mean “all”of us. Some would readily admit it. And some would remain in denial until they feel powerless in a worldly situation which causes this hidden craving to rise to the surface, like a phoenix rising from its ashes.

But not everyone gets to have such power.

It takes a certain kind of courage, temperament and sacrifice to climb to the top of the ladder.

It is not the ultimate power though. People at the top of the ladder are held at their legs by the hands of others. If those hands were to let go, the fall from the top to bottom is often brutal.

So then, what is ultimate power? Is there one?

I feel there is.

It’s the power over yourself.

It’s the power over your thoughts and actions and reactions.

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It’s the power to listen calmly.

….. to choose your response.

….. to empathize with a fellow human being.

….. to have conviction in your ideas.

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It’s the power to not assume and judge.

…. to not let your fears decide your future.

…. to not let the words of others affect you.

…. to not let your ego take control.

…. to not catastrophize a minor mishap.

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It’s the power to help someone with all you have.

…. to forgive and move on.

…. and to live, come what may.

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Developing this power takes practice and can take your whole life.

What’s clear to me though is that this is the kind of power one should crave for and work towards.