Every man chooses a path to walk on. Time and now he realizes that the path of his choice is not good for him and decides to change his path. A key question to ask is how this man knows how and when to change the path? The answer is 'bliss'. He contemplates in one way or another and searches for bliss. And when he finds a great absence of bliss along the path of his choosing, he knows deep down that it is time to change the path. All of us are making choices and one thing that either consciously or unconsciously is governing these choices is that bliss. We lay the path for us because we feel it is going to give us bliss. And many a times it happens that a realization comes that the path chosen is not the right one and hence the decision to change the course of life's journey.
Of all the paths we can follow the most difficult one is the path that no one treads. It is difficult because it is lonely. But just because it is lonely, it does not mean that the path is wrong. History in fact shows that the right path has always been the one that made a person feel extremely alone. Of the billions of people history remembers only a hand few. And of these hand few, some are remembered for walking the right path, 'right' being defined as that which has brought a positive change in the world. Does that not clearly say that the path of the right was a lonely one? History also remembers a few who changed the world for the negative and they have also been quite a few. But that says that the path of the wrong was a lonely one too! What a dilemma!
This observation reminds me as to how true it seems that symbol of Taoism which depicts the similarity between two extremities. Now, the path taken by a man seems to him right when he can feel the bliss that comes along with it. And if he does not feel that satisfaction, he no longer feels driven to walk the path. So, that makes life very easy, right? Just choose a path and walk along it. Give it some time and if it keeps you happy, well and good else search another path. Continue until you find a path where you have been left with no room for dissatisfaction at all. Is this it? Is this the algorithm of life? Sounds quite simple! But have you ever heard of a proverb that celebrates the simplicity of life? I haven't.
I have come across certain instances wherein the path lying ahead of me seemed like the right one but the bliss was missing. It is difficult to describe this situation in words. One has to experience it and contemplate hard on that experience in order to get it right. But it does happen. The path in front is convincingly good, the right one but the bliss is missing. Satisfaction has gone for a toss. Smiles are lost! The strength is gone! Why? There could be many answers to these questions, I do not know. And of course, as is the case with life, no answer be right for sure and no answer be wrong! So, what is one possible answer?
I suspect that walking the path is not enough. Knowing does matter! And by knowing, I mean that it is essential for someone who is walking his path to know what his path really is and be sure that he truly wants to walk on it. It seems to happen that the man is walking the path that is best suited to him but for reasons that could span from a lack of confidence to severe confusion, he does not know that the path is right for him. This is when the man walking the right path still finds no bliss and satisfaction in his life. They exist but their existance has been clouded by doubt and uncertainty. All doubts be dispelled, all uncertainty be removed and the same path can be a path of bliss again.
But but but! The question comes out - my path does not give me bliss, should I be searching for the clouds and try dispelling them or should I be searching for another path? We are talking about life here, how could one possibly give one single answer? All that I could say is that blessed are those who can and find the answer.