Large Hearted

Dr. Rajesh Bhola
India
Jul 27, 2012

Last month I fell ill. A particularly unpleasant attack of viral fever sent me to my bed. I became very drowsy, and slept a good deal – though that was to the good. When I was awake, my body was very uncomfortable. I had pain in my legs, my arms, the back, the shoulders, the front of the head, the back of the head, the chest – just about everywhere. In this situation, there was little to do but endure. Remaining confined to bed provided me an important spiritual opportunity. Sickness is a great leveller. It incapacitates everyone – from the least important of creatures, to the king of the world. There is nothing one can do, but be patient.

Many feelings come to the fore when we are ill. It is not pleasant. And yet, some live life very differently. They do not go through it merely existing. Sure, when they suffer, they also feel the pain – but do not go into a downward spiral of anguish. They do not see the injury—or any kind of illness—as a sign of their bad luck or fate, for instance. They do not start to feel self-pity. They realise that the body is prone to illness and injury. If an illness occurs, this is not really out of the ordinary. Getting injured or getting an ailment, any time in life, is part and parcel of having a body. 

I know a senior army officer who is a regular visitor to our rehabilitation centre. His son, Rajat, lost both his legs in an accident about five years back. Rajat is 24, and reflects a great aura on his face. Despite the fact that he is afflicted with a great disability, was confined to bed in a hospital for more than six months, and underwent terrible physical and mental trauma, he reflects great cool in his demeanour. He told me that, “This life is temporary. Everything comes and goes; good times and bad times - nothing remains. However, illness is not chosen. My effort was to feel as comfortable on the sickbed as in the gymnasium. When the body wanted to sleep, I slept. When I felt pain in some part of my anatomy, I awoke. It was not comfortable; however, it was not the end of the world. It simply was what it was.”  Talking to this young man is always very inspiring.   

Such people are able to weather even the most terrible events without panicking, or creating further trouble. They have large hearts  which, like a large expanse of water, can swallow even the largest boulders that fall into them, without the splash creating a tidal wave. But the majority of hearts are ‘small and closed’, and even a little pebble falling into their pond makes a great splash – and disturbs them. Small hurts are quickly magnified into major crises.  

A person with a large heart, and a capacity to take life in his/her stride, reaches out to people – both in joyful and difficult times. And each contact with suffering is an opportunity to increase our capacity for compassion
and understanding. υ

Dr. Rajesh Bhola is President of Spastic Society of Gurgaon and is working for the cause of children with autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation and multiple disabilities for more than 20 years.