Detached Attachment...?!
Detached attachment - It is an oxymoron. Both words have opposite meanings but when they combine to form a phrase, they give a totally different meaning! We tend to attach ourselves with anything material, especially material comforts. We soon get used to those comforts and if we are denied those comforts (for whatever reason), we get shattered. We cannot imagine as to how we could live without those comforts. To quote an obvious example, our 'smart phones'. The youngsters now wonder as to how the old people ('oldies' in their parlance!) managed without the smart phones in their heydays! The biggest challenge in life for the youngsters now, would be to be away from their phones for more than an hour.
Some people have great affinity towards their home, car, pen, and similar personal things. Their affection and attachment to them will be even more than what they have for their spouses.
When queried, 'what is the biggest wonder in the world?', the answer given was, 'humans; even after witnessing death every day, imagining that there is no death for them; and they will live forever!' This makes them get attached to the worldly things. Of course, we need comforts in life to make life easier and comfortable. But we should always be prepared to face a situation, with ease, wherein the material comforts are not available to us. And make the best of that situation without any remorse. We should strike a balance between both situations. We are given the comforts - enjoy; Okay, we are not having the comforts - work out ways to make the situation happy, by other means. It should dawn on us that we cannot take a penny to the grave. And no one (on whom we had so much of affection and attachment) can accompany us there.
It is not only in the case of material things that we attach ourselves. Even in having relationship with our family members, friends and other unavoidable acquaintances, we have this problem. We get emotionally attached to close family. We start feeling that without the particular person, we cannot live. That is an absurd feeling. We all come into this world all alone and we will go away from this world all alone. In between this period, we come across various people, be it family members or friends or simply acquaintances. We should always remember that all things will pass one day without a trace. So, there is no point in attaching (emotionally) too much with any person (even the closest family). The attachment should be with detachment! It should be like the water droplet on lotus leaf.
One of the renowned persons, Mrs. Sudha Narayanamoorthy (Chairperson of Infosys Foundation, author, philanthropist, teacher) once put it very succinctly that our own children will not be the same when they grow up and get married. She had narrated it from her own experience. These days, most of the couples have just one kid and they shower the child with so much of affection, attention and get attached to him/her emotionally. As time passes, and when the daughter or son displays indifferent behavior towards the parents (especially after getting married), they get devastated. So, it is better to have the attachment in such a way that it could be detached at the required moment without any hassle. This will give us peace of mind.
Some people have great affinity towards their home, car, pen, and similar personal things. Their affection and attachment to them will be even more than what they have for their spouses.
When queried, 'what is the biggest wonder in the world?', the answer given was, 'humans; even after witnessing death every day, imagining that there is no death for them; and they will live forever!' This makes them get attached to the worldly things. Of course, we need comforts in life to make life easier and comfortable. But we should always be prepared to face a situation, with ease, wherein the material comforts are not available to us. And make the best of that situation without any remorse. We should strike a balance between both situations. We are given the comforts - enjoy; Okay, we are not having the comforts - work out ways to make the situation happy, by other means. It should dawn on us that we cannot take a penny to the grave. And no one (on whom we had so much of affection and attachment) can accompany us there.
It is not only in the case of material things that we attach ourselves. Even in having relationship with our family members, friends and other unavoidable acquaintances, we have this problem. We get emotionally attached to close family. We start feeling that without the particular person, we cannot live. That is an absurd feeling. We all come into this world all alone and we will go away from this world all alone. In between this period, we come across various people, be it family members or friends or simply acquaintances. We should always remember that all things will pass one day without a trace. So, there is no point in attaching (emotionally) too much with any person (even the closest family). The attachment should be with detachment! It should be like the water droplet on lotus leaf.
One of the renowned persons, Mrs. Sudha Narayanamoorthy (Chairperson of Infosys Foundation, author, philanthropist, teacher) once put it very succinctly that our own children will not be the same when they grow up and get married. She had narrated it from her own experience. These days, most of the couples have just one kid and they shower the child with so much of affection, attention and get attached to him/her emotionally. As time passes, and when the daughter or son displays indifferent behavior towards the parents (especially after getting married), they get devastated. So, it is better to have the attachment in such a way that it could be detached at the required moment without any hassle. This will give us peace of mind.
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