Our departing friends, our lasting friends and our everlasting friends⁵

Anxiety and worry we call our friends precisely because we unconsciously cherish them. It is the height of folly, but we do cherish them. We cherish them; therefore, they are our friends.

Defeat and disappointment surround our departing friends. Defeat and disappointment shatter our being; nevertheless, we cherish them unconsciously.

Darkness envelops us. Ignorance constantly assails us; we wallow in the pleasures of ignorance. As long as they are with us, we cherish them; we call them our friends.

But there comes a time when darkness and ignorance disappear. By virtue of our aspiration or inner cry, we liberate ourselves from these so-called friends: anxiety, worry, defeat, disappointment, darkness and ignorance. Our lasting friends are hope, determination, personal effort, faith, aspiration and realisation.

Hope is not mere wishful thinking. It is the precursor of a new dawn that slowly, steadily and unerringly comes to the fore and eventually grows into reality’s existence.

Determination is of paramount importance. Each time we are determined, we expedite our journey. In the battlefield of life, with determination we march fast, very fast, toward our destined goal.

Personal effort is also of paramount importance. Unless and until we give to the world at large what we have and what we are, we cannot grow into the all-widening and all embracing Reality — the Reality which we call the universal Consciousness of the transcendental Height.

Personal effort is founded upon the unconditional Compassion of the Supreme. What we call effort is actually a result of the Supreme’s Grace, which rains constantly on our devoted heads and surrendered hearts.

Faith constantly reminds us of our perennial Source. Faith constantly makes us feel that we are of the Absolute and for the Absolute. Aspiration is our inner cry. This cry, unlike the desire-cry, constantly reminds us of our own highest height. We cry for the loftiest height; we cry for boundless Peace, Light and Bliss. There is a constant hunger within us to transcend ourselves, to go beyond the reality which we have already achieved. This hunger is our aspiration.

Realisation is our oneness with the Infinite. To become one with our perennial Source is our soul’s goal. Here we feel at every moment that we are of the One and for the many. God the Creator manifests Himself in and through us, and we try our utmost to become constant and unconditional instruments of our Beloved Supreme.

Perfection is our everlasting friend. Perfection is an ever-transcending Reality. Perfection is satisfaction. This satisfaction is constantly flowing in and through our aspiring heart, devoted life and surrendered oneness with the Supreme Pilot. When we try to perfect ourselves within and without, at every moment we see a new dawn before us and within us. This new dawn beckons us to the Supreme Reality, which is more than willing to lead us, guide us, shape us and mould us into the Immortal Reality.