“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

Kabir – The Couplet
“सकल पत्थर में हीरा भया, कुटिल मूरत हंस पसंद।
कबीरा हंसा चुगै मोती, कौआ चुगै कंकर ||”

Transliterated
“Sakal pathar mein heera bhaya, kutil moorat hans pasand |
Kabira hansa chugai moti, kaua chugai kankar ||”

Translated
“Among all stones, the diamond is precious; a crooked figure is not preferred.
Kabir says the swan picks up pearls, and the crow picks up pebbles.”

My understanding

When I first read Kabir’s beautiful couplet about the swan and the pearls, something inside me sparked. It was as if a wise old friend was speaking directly to me, reminding me of what truly matters. You see, I’ve spent so much of my life (and probably a lot of yours too) obsessed with the surface-level stuff – the way I look, the way others perceive me, the number of likes or comments on my latest post. But Kabir’s words cut through all that noise and point to something much deeper: the value of our inner qualities over outward appearances.

It’s not that looks or achievements don’t matter at all. Of course they do, and we all have moments where we care far too much about them. But what Kabir’s swan teaches us is that true fulfillment and connection come from a place of authenticity and genuine care for others. It’s the same lesson Maya Angelou was getting at with her words about the impact of our actions.

In a world where social media and fake news bombard us with images and information designed to manipulate our emotions and beliefs, these ancient wisdom teachings are a lifeline. They remind us to pause, to look beneath the surface, and to value the depth and substance of who we are and what we share with others.

You see, when we get caught up in the superficial and the deceptive, we lose sight of what makes us truly human. We forget that at our core, we are beings capable of great love, empathy, and connection. And when we forget that, we suffer. We feel empty and disconnected, even in the midst of a thousand likes or followers.

But the good news is, it doesn’t have to be this way. Kabir’s swan and Maya Angelou’s words offer us a way out of the shallows and into the depths. They invite us to remember what really matters and to live our lives accordingly. To seek out and nurture the pearls of authenticity in ourselves and others, even amidst a sea of deceptive pebbles.

So, I invite you to take a moment. To pause from the endless scrolling and the constant comparison. To ask yourself, what truly matters to me? What are the pearls I want to cultivate in my life and in my relationships? And how can I start valuing those things more deeply, even in the face of all the noise and distraction around me?

Because when we make that shift, when we choose the depth and substance of our lives over the fleeting allure of superficial success, something amazing happens. We find a sense of peace and fulfillment that is truly unshakeable. We connect with others on a level that is profound and meaningful. And we rediscover the joy of being human, right here in the messy, beautiful, imperfect reality of our lives.

Make today a new beginning – the first day of the rest of our lives. And let us pledge to be always true to ourselves – starting now!!