Why is it so difficult to create and nurture growth, prosperity, joy and tranquility in our lives ?

I wonder why we human beings inflict so much pain on each other – through our words, deeds or sometimes even in our thoughts?! Is it such a challenging task to coexist in peace? Would we be less self expressed if we do not say or do things with force and violence ? Is it essential that we slaughter mankind or trample the emotions of our fellow human beings  on our way to establishing  supremacy over others or  proving the righteousness of our thinking and behaviour ?

 In life threatening situations, taking refuge in violence might be the last resort for survival but can we rationalise the petty insults we trade in the course of our day to day  living at home , workplace or at any other place?!

We participate in altercations, fights, wars, destruction, injuries….. the list is endless. Whether we do it willingly or unwillingly, the sad part is that all of us are involved in it one way or the other. Would we become lesser mortals if we do not stomp each other in the race to become “more” or accumulate “more” ?

I find there is an inherent thread of violence interwoven in our thoughts, attitude, words and/or deeds. Be it on the personal front or as a society or at the workplace or as a nation or in the international arena – why are we so violent? What is it that we want to prove to each other – the supremacy of our viewpoints? Or is it a sheer power struggle? Or is there something inherently flawed in us which does not allow us to think and live in a loving manner?

All of us have an inherent limit of tolerance and patience for the brickbats life and people throw our way. Few choose to live a life of love, forgiveness and tolerance although all the religions are propagating these concepts for centuries now ! One, it takes a lot of  faith, courage and patience to choose and practise those qualities in real life. Two, it is easier to to react than to respond to the things that happens to us. The irony is that each individual, group or nation has a rationale which fully justifies the actions undertaken in response to a real or perceived challenge, threat or insult !!

I have observed that beyond the threshold limit of my tolerance, I am tempted to pay back the person who hurts me in his/her own coin. The temptation comes from the thought that why should I suffer alone? The attitude is to make the other person pay for his/her deeds. I know that my pain will not go away by hurling back the pain and insult the other person might have given me. I might succeed in exacting revenge from the other person but it will not diminish even an iota of my own pain. 

Why should I experience such an urge for revenge or violence when I cannot understand the rationale for being violent or being revengeful ? Is it the fear that if I dont hurt back the other person will consider me weak? Is it the desire to get even with the other person that drives me to comtemplate counterattack? If I was free of my fear and the desire to get even, what would be my reaction then, what would be my thoughts then?

I think I would be more interested in healing my self, safeguarding my self against future attacks and most importantly, I would be stronger since I would not allow the other person to hurt me with words or with deeds !! How? Once I know that inflicting pain on the other person would not reduce my pain, hurting others would be pointless for me.  Words or deeds hurt me only when I allow these to reach me. If I dont allow the words to stab my heart and the deeds to wound my body, can anybody really cause me harm?! I think not…. Can this work out in real life?? Well I will try out and see!!