Dear Gurudev, how do I satisfy my loved ones that are very demanding?
Sometimes, it is okay to be little insensitive. When the demands are not justified or not logical, you do not have to feel obliged about those demands, but you don't have to get upset either.
Suppose you are not a doctor and someone is coming and demanding, "Give me medicine, give me medicine!" What can you do? You will get upset? No, you will just smile and say, "Well I don’t know. I am sorry, I am not a doctor, I can't treat you." But if you are upset, it is your problem, isn’t it?
Like that, we must find the inner strength. Once you find your inner strength, nobody can take away your calmness, your serenity, your peace. And when you are centered, you are able to manage any situation. However complex they are, however demanding they are, you can manage the situation. Got it?
I was in a situation a few months ago. One gentleman—I know him from long time—he was married happily with his wife, both of them are very good, they are on the spiritual path. But this man fell in love with another girl and went to a temple and got married with her as well. Now, the problem came. The earlier wife was heart-broken. She said, "You left me and you went to this other girl."
He said, "No, I cannot leave you and I cannot leave her either."
So this man was in such trouble. Then this lady said, "I will commit suicide and you live happily with her."
Then the other girl said, "If this is the case, then I will commit suicide because I have spoiled your family life. You were happily married, and I came and disturbed you." She felt guilty and said, "No, I will commit suicide. You both live happily."
Now this man said, "No, I can’t leave either of you, what I will do is I will commit suicide."
All three of them said "We will all commit suicide"
When I got to know about this, I called all of them. If all three of them commit suicide, what will happen to us, The Art of Living? See, these people followed The Art of Living and if all of them commit suicide, it will become such a big blot on The Art of Living, which is trying to stop suicide in the world!
So it was a challenge for me. I said, "Oh my God, I have to do something now! If I do not stop it, then we will have a problem. People do The Art of Living courses to come out of suicidal tendencies, and here, three people who are in The Art of Living, all of them have gone and committed suicide!"
Then I settled it all (chuckles). I won't tell you how I settled it, but they are happy and that girl is also happy. Everything became alright.
