On Life 2 – Goal – November, 28, 2013

   It is said that the great difference between people is that some of them make great use of the 24 hours of the day and here I ask: what is the thing that drives a person to make use of the day he lives, in return, some are trying to spend their day just to finish it and have another day in a chain of similar and interlaced days that seek the end of the road.

   They also said: “When every person wakes up in the morning, he has two options, either to continue to sleep and to dream, or to wake up and achieve the dream.” The choice of man depends on the “goal” he has drawn and ser before his eyes, while another person may forget about it and go on the journey of life with the wind!

   One’s goal for his life adds the greatest meaning to it, on the other hand, losing it deprive life from any meaning. It is said, “It is easy to make people respect you, but it is hard to respect yourself”. It is easy to receive respect from people for your social status, wealth, cultural status or authority. On the other hand, your self-respect is gained from the goal you keep in your heart and you try to go after and achieve in the journey of your life. This is much difficult, but it will make you respect yourself as your life has obtained a meaning. One day, darkness dared all people that it can control their destiny. So it drew its curtains on their life path and when they tried to run away, they failed as it surrounded them from all sides, till they found it trying to escape the light of a little candle one of the life-path walkers was carrying. So darkness of the whole world cannot hide the light of one single candle. One who sets a goal for his life will not miss his way as such goal is the candle that lights his life. One of the great benefits of sitting a goal is that every time man falls in disappointment and meets failure,  he will stand up again leaning on the strength he receives due to keeping his eyes on his goal that accompanies him through all his life making him stop for while then proceed walking again. Hence,one will keep going no matter how much obstacles he faces. One of the best quotes is, “Obstacles or the thing that one sees, when he alters his eyes from observing his goals”. Through goal one can measure his achievements. Asefforts you exert to achieve what you want can be measured by what you have offered and what you still have to offer. Do not resemble those who stop quickly on their way after being disappointed due to measure how long they still have to walk instead of appreciating the distance they already walked. One of the secrets of this life is to have a goal that one seeks so he once slows and other times goes fast, once stumbles and other times he stands up; however he still lives his life to the fullest and makes progress on his life path.  On the shores of life we still are to sail together….

General Bishop

Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center