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PURPOSE OF CREATION
Part 5
By
DR. P.C.SIMON
Copyright 2003
(Word count 830)
All calamities are blessings. We will not realize it when they
happen. But after a while we will.
For example, Stephen Hawking, the British theoretical physicist,
would not have achieved such popular prominence for his work in the
field of cosmology if it had not been for his affliction, Amyotrophic
Lateral Sclerosis. In an autobiographical note on the Internet,
Hawking wrote: - "Before my condition had been diagnosed, I had been
very bored with life. There had not seemed to be anything worth
doing. But shortly after I came out of the hospital...I suddenly
realized that there were a lot of worthwhile things I could do. I
found to my surprise that I was enjoying life in the present more
than before...It shows that one need not lose hope."
Another interesting story is about Isaac Newton.
Unable to stand the persistent bullying of a class mate seated next
to him in the last row, Isaac Newton, with a much smaller stature but
with greater courage and determination, accepted the physical
challenge and one day banged the bully's head against the wall of the
church. Having defeated him physically, Newton decided to beat him
intellectually which he did. In a few days, Newton was at the head of
the class.
Had it not been for his imprisonment, John Bunyan, would not have
authored "Pilgrim's Progress".
A serious fall from his horse convinced Leo Tolstoi, Russian Count,
novelist, and moral philosopher, that he could have died and would
not have been able to write his book "War and Peace". Immediately he
set to work and finished his masterpiece.
The early blindness that seized Helen Keller created the incentive
for her to contribute so much to improve the plight of the blind.
Had it not been for the early blindness of Louise Braille, Braille
would never have been invented.
The life stories of all successful men are studded with adversities.
I believe that adversities are challenges.
We know that nothing happens without a purpose. We have not yet
reached that stage to know everything. But by and by we will, for it
is the nature of love to give all knowledge to "its beloved."
Let us look at some natural calamities. The purpose of natural
calamities, though unbelievable, is to build mind power.
Black plague, drought, flood, volcanic eruption, earthquakes and such
like, help us to develop mind power.
To teach us to control the epidemic of plague, there came the black
plague in Oberammergau. Many died. The whole congregation gathered in
the church, joined hands, prayed, and promised to re-enact the
passion play every ten years if the village would be spared from the
plague. Like a miracle, the plague stopped. The villagers have been
keeping up their promises. I attended the 39th play in 1990.
To convince us that we can control the epidemic of insect
infestation, there came the Mormon Cricket plague. During the second
year of their arrival at Salt Lake City, with their crop growing
luxuriantly, the Mormon cricket came from nowhere to consume all the
plants. The Mormons did everything in their power to kill the
crickets and save the crop. Nothing succeeded. Then they saw flocks
of sea gulls arriving from the west and landing in the fields. They
believed that the sea gulls had come to eat the plants spared by the
crickets. They went into the Temple and prayed for God's help.
Instead of the plants, the seagulls devoured the crickets so fast
that they could not digest them. So they flew into the lake,
disgorged the crickets, came back and devoured more crickets. Thus,
the sea gulls saved the crop. As a memorial, the Mormons erected
the "Sea Gull Monument" in the temple yard. This stands as a witness
to this story till today.
The Hopi Indians of Arizona perform "Snake Dance" and bring down
rain. The snake priests start collecting snakes many days before the
dance. Each snake they caught intensified their belief that it will
rain on the day of the dance and it always did.
All these miracles are supposed to have happened as a result of
prayer. I say it is the result of belief. The Hopis believed that
snake dance will bring rain, and snake dance brought down the rain.
Our mind has the power, the God-given power, to believe and create
what ever we believe.
When we understand this, we will realize the infinite love of the
Creator; we will fall in love with him/her. We will only want to be
in his presence. Everything that is acceptable to him becomes
acceptable to us.
That is why Marcus Aurelius - the philosopher-emperor
said "Everything harmonizes with me, which is harmonious to thee, O
Universe. Nothing for me is too early or too late, which is in due
time for thee."
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About the Author
Dr. P.C. Simon is a retired research microbiologist, philosopher,
philanthropist and author of the inspiring and life changing
book, "The Missing Piece to Paradise". More articles by the author
and information about his book can be seen on his website at
http://www.interchange.ubc.ca/psimon/book2.htm
