July 31, 2002 Evening, Lighthouse Center Oregon
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Who is to take care of this life, which we have spoiled? We are to take care of it. First, we are to educate ourselves: what is life, why we have problems in our lives, how we can get rid of those problems, and how we can enjoy life. Life, which has been given to us by God, has been given to us for enjoyment. Everyone wants to enjoy, and I agree that they should, but they cannot truly enjoy at the level of body, mind, and intellect.
If it was winter and you were very cold, you might decide to burn your furniture. After you burned all your furniture, you could remove your doors and windows and begin to burn them. When they were finished burning, then you could dismantle the walls and begin to burn them. For one or two nights, you might be able to get rid of the cold, but after that, nothing would remain. There would be no house and nothing left to burn. Then you would die of the cold. You had tried not to suffer, not knowing that you were creating much more suffering. For the time being, you would have enjoyed the warmth a little, getting rid of one problem but creating a much bigger problem for the future.
Man should not have such shortsightedness. Shortsightedness is acceptable in animals, because they ordinarily need nothing for the future. What they have from day to day is fine for them, and they ordinarily do not have the ability or the need to arrange for their future. However, man has been given a wonderful lifestyle with a sense of reasoning and consciousness, so that he can manage for himself.
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—Sant Thakar Singh
