When I was asked to give a write-up , on the topic “Life is Beautiful” I smiled. I believed it was a simple topic with a very simple proposition . With a firm belief in myself, I tried to pen a few words. I found myself helpless as I had fiddled away precious time. Apparently an innocuous proposition made me ponder, which began in a listless way and later took a definite direction.

As my thought process gained some ground, I could not fathom the depth of this topic nor scale the height of it. At one time I thought it could be dealt by filling the write-up with anecdotes of my life and thus proving Life is Beautiful. The very next instance made me shudder , as a serious topic should be dealt philosophically . A chain developed with one approach giving way to the other.

“I think, therefore I am.”—Life Philosophically

“Cogito Ergo Sum.” To quote Descartes this phrase translates into “I think therefore I am.” Is life a gift to us by “Him”, or a process, which began with a Big Bang, when the entire cosmos emerged out of a super- explosion ? Is life a sheer serendipity ? Going back to Descartes, life is just what one thinks and I think it is beautiful. Evolution of man from an insignificant microorganism to a thinking human being, life seems to be a fascinating process.

According to Hindu philosophy, life follows a “ Karma ” pattern. Every human being gets the life he deserves , proposing an incremental development with good deeds in present life presenting with a better life. Life is beautiful if we do our best within the boundaries and the destiny takes care of the rest.

“Sweet are the uses of adversity .”—Life Poetically

This approach closely follows the philosophical approach with a beauty of its own. To appreciate the beauty of life one can relish the works of artists and writers of renaissance period. Be it Da Vinci with the ethereal Mona Lisa, Rembrandt or Monet with Water Lilies brought out the essence of life.

One of my favorites William Shakespeare brought out the beauty of life with comedies and tragedies . One sonnet , which proves Shakespearean essence, is a sonnet from the play “As You like it”. This sonnet brings out the beauty of life in ugliness , spark in coal and silver lining around a dark cloud.

It is from Act II Scene I Duke Senior, the banished duke says about sweet uses of adversity. To quote a part of it “Sweet are the uses of adversity, which, like the toad , ugly and venomous , wears yet a precious jewel in his head; and this our life exempt from public haunt finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks , sermons in stones and good in everything”, a beautiful piece of poetry which, asks us to see good in everything.

Life through a Winner’s Eye

Life stories of some men make one succumb to their ingenuity . Some people have proved and some are proving without a second doubt that they are winners. Anybody, who has read “A Beautiful Mind” or has watched a movie by the same name, can never remain untouched by the courage of a schizophrenic Prof. Nash who overcame the disease by merely accepting the haunting illusions and getting the coveted Noble prize for game theory.

Political leaders, Writers, Economists, Musicians and Sportsmen have been a beacon to their fellowmen.

Life is Beautiful

“Laugh and be merry , better the world with a song, better the world with a blow in the teeth of a wrong…” So goes a poem.

Life is as one experiences it. One has to drink deep of every moment. For the present moment is a past moment in the future.

After a serious contemplation if one can live a carefree life like Calvin and Hobbes and enrich it every moment then, life is fascinating, wonderful and Very Very Beautiful. q2ES4qVkawYqTnCvxrMYZy5FYB2mJqX+JqLjp09rsiNRPUTl8rTlcZwCn4Md00Lx