Principles – “To gain more talents” – 19/12/2015

   I talked in the former article about the importance of being ready to face life challenges and overcome them which helps to enhance and promote person’s character. It is also important to be unique and have self-trust and faith.

   Man also should be ready to face life changes as all the situations and experiences man faces are variable and not constant or consistent. Thus it is important to train yourself on endurance and dealing with those changes with flexibility and that will help you to accept the changes and affect them too.  As they say that a flexible person knows how to think differently and if he chooses a road that doesn’t take him to his goal, he will change his strategy till he achieves what he wants. The more prepared to face life challenges, the more flexible a person becomes while dealing with them and the more successful he becomes.

   You should also accept others’ different opinions and characters. Difference should not affect your love for them or your friendly way while dealing with them. It is important to accept difference as people have variable types of personalities and tendencies. A successful person should accept the difference and look for a mutual base of human principles he shares with others to deal with them in a loving and friendly way.

   French-revolution’s philosopher, Voltaire says, “I do not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.” Human interaction should be full of love and respect whether you agree or disagree with others. As we are all humans and our father is Adam. We are different members of one family, we may have different talents, personalities and characters, but difference aims to create variation and integration not animosity and destruction.

   Journey of life includes many values and principles to learn. It invites us to gain more talents and capabilities. It gives us a chance to prove ourselves without having to crush others or avoid dealing with them, but we have to be ready to reach the end line together. I will never forget the incident that happened at Seattle Olympics for the physically challenged, the competitors were 9 runners. During the race, one of them fell and started to cry the others heard him and they began to slow their steps till they went back to him. He stopped crying when he found them around and they reached the end line together. That is life. It is not a single-winner competition, but its depth is in winning and supporting others to win with us.

Anba Ermiah,

General Bishop& President of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center