Question: But it doesn't work all the time.

Sri Chinmoy: When you were very young you did not learn the alphabet overnight. Only gradually you learned the alphabet. First you went to kindergarten, then you went to primary school, high school and college. Finally you went to the university. But even now you feel there is so much to learn. So there is no end to the progress we can make. Progress itself is our perfection.

Before you entered into the spiritual life, remember how many times during the day you used to become angry and annoyed with your mother, your father and others. Your relatives and friends have not changed, but perhaps now you are not getting angry with them as often as you used to. Now you are able to tolerate much more. You say, "Poor fellow, how I wish he had more wisdom so that he would not make that mistake." Previously, if someone made a mistake, you became very disturbed. Now you are much more tolerant. So is that not your progress? A day will come when you will not be upset no matter what happens.

This kind of progress is so important. You have to know what you were two years ago and what you are now. If you think of what you were before joining our path, then you will definitely feel that you have made progress. So if you have already made considerable progress in just two years, in a few more years you can feel that you will make considerably more progress.

From:Sri Chinmoy,Lord Buddha's Compassion-Hand, Agni Press, 1993
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/lb