Sometimes a few words convey very thought provoking and awe inspiring meaning and even change lives of the most hardened criminals. Today, I came across one such remarkable quotation by none other than George Bernard Shaw which says, “The more things a man is ashamed of, the more respectable he is.”
And this left me wondering how true it is in our present milieu. We find humble people more respected in the society than those filthy rich, usurpers of others’ rights and ones who don’t have any respect for the rule of law and that of society. There have, however, been instances when even criminals were forgiven by the society after they sought forgiveness and then lived a pious life.
Generally, men are not in habit of being apologetic when they do something wrong or illegal. Rather they try to justify their illegal acts, which dip them deeper in agony rather than being bailed out of a situation if they had accepted their fault and asked forgiveness.
Allah Almighty has the greatest heart to forgive. As the saying goes, “Man gets and forgets, God gives and forgives.”But we don’t have the heart to ask for forgiveness, what to talk of being ashamed of our misdeeds and wrong doings. So long we are strong and young, apparently not in the dying age, we seemingly don’t care anyway. But as the hair turn to grey, and the grave days loom ahead and nearer, something inside us pinches and suddenly some of us are ashamed of what we did wrong when we were powerful and mighty. Some of us do try to make amends with those whom we did wrong, but many continue to fume as if they are mortals. Though some people may forgive, but imagine the pain and hurt we caused and they endured all those years.
It is far better to be ashamed and sorry for one’s wrong doings when one is still strong and powerful, and the wounds inflicted on others are still not healed. It is only then one can earn respect – not years later when one is feeble and powerless. And those who do, find them filled with an eternal joy. And those who don’t live with heartburns forever.
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