Relatives are called relatives for a reason....

Relatives are called relatives because happiness or unhappiness that comes from them is only relative. Not absolute.

The blunder we make is we try to find the absolute happiness in relatives. If they could provide absolute happiness, they would be called ABSOLUTES and not RELATIVES. :)

So, keep everything related to relatives on a relative plane only. Don't bring them on the absolute plane. This applies to all relatives. Does not matter how close or how distant they may be.

Relative means relative, that is dispensers of relative happiness or unhappiness.

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All our pains and gains are tied to two things - our possessions and our relations. Examine it closely and you will find it is true.

All (perceived) happiness comes from our possessions and relations. All unhappiness or pain also comes from those two entities only.

The problem with pain and pleasure is they are on different scales. If pleasure is on linear scale, pain is on geometric scale. If something gives you one unit of pleasure, same thing is likely to give five units of pain later. Best example: alcohol. 4 hours of partying results in next entire day gone nursing a nasty hangover. 4 hours pleasure causing 24 hours of pain. Pleasure to pain ratio - 1 is to 6.

Pain and pleasure are two extremes of a pendulum. But this is a peculiar pendulum. Two extremes are at equal distance on a normal pendulum. But on this pendulum, pain extreme is five times the extreme of pleasure.

You will find an elaborate discourse on this very subject in 'complete works of Swami Vivekananda.' Read it and you will stop attaching so much importance to transient pleasures like food, drinks, friends, family etc.

So, be careful enjoying pleasures. Be careful about your possessions and relations.

Best example of possession is not our money or assets but our body. This most prized possession, human body, after some age, even if cared well, is the source of maximum grief. Worst grief comes from not being able make peace with the fact that it is body's very nature to age and wither away completely one day.

All make-up that is applied on the body is to hide its break-up. Make-up to hide break-up (wear and tear).

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Relatives may provide only relative happiness. May be that's the reason they have named a vodka ABSOLUT.

May be many are trying to find absolute happiness in ABSOLUT vodka.

But remember - you may try to drown your sorrows in alcohol but sorrows know how to swim. They stare right back at you next morning. Their harsh stare will be worse than before. :)

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A person wrote a suicide note and locked himself in a room. Somebody saw the note after some time and rushed to the room where he had locked himself in. They broke open the door and what they found was simply unbelievable.

The person was found hanging. But, wait. He was alive!

What knocked them out of senses was he was found hanging by waist instead of neck.

On one hand, they were relieved and happy to find the person was alive. But there were also intrigued why he was hanging by waist if he intended to commit suicide.

'Why are you hanging by waist? Don't you have to hang yourself by neck if you want to die, you fool!!?' they yelled at the person.

His answer.....

'I am having throat ache!'

:) :)

Still laughing at this joke......

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Source: Borrowed wisdom from Swami Anubhavananda's discourses and other books etc.