Dear Editor,
Sincerity is the name of a bridge that can connect what we preach with what we do. It joins, so to speak, two opposite banks of a river ~ our ideals and our actions. Most of the time, we ourselves, do not follow what we generally expect from others. Sometimes, we even do exactly the opposite of what we say.
Thus, sincerity can rescue one from becoming such a miserable character that one fails to recognise as one’s own identity. This dilemma can even make us suffer from dissociative identity disorder (DID) or multiple personality disorder.
So, we need to resolve to become more sincere with our commitment to our family, occupation, society, country and of course to the divine. This is absolutely necessary to make ourselves as good as our word.
As English preacher Charles Spurgeon had said, “Sincerity makes the very least person to be of more value than the most talented hypocrite.” Indeed, we can become truthful and honest only by being sincere. It will do us a world of good for our mental health. It saves us from playing a mind-boggling role of a devil’s advocate for rationalising our hypocrisy.
Sincerity can make parents and teachers role models of children. Indeed, to be a living example is the only way to guide our children. As the Mother (spiritual collaborator of Sri Aurobindo) had said, “Example is the most powerful instructor. Never demand from a child an effort of discipline that you do not make yourself. Calm, equanimity, order, method, absence of useless words, ought to be constantly practiced by the teacher if he wants to instil them into his pupils.”
In business too, sincerity must be the watchword of a company to enhance its goodwill, reputation and the brand value of its products.
At the end of the day, it is a sincere person who will win the admiration and trust not only of many people but more importantly of himself.
Yours,
Sujit De, Kolkata