How interesting is it that a common man, probably a person next door, who lived, and died, more than 60 years ago continues to influence our lives even today. The times that he lived in were very different from the times we live in. He was fighting for the high ideal of freedom; his situation was different from ours. The name of that common man was Mohandas  Karamchand Gandhi. We, today, are citizens of an independent nation that has been free from foreign yoke for almost 60 years now. We have the options & opportunities to indulge in whatever we want to.

The cardinal principles of truth and non-violence, that held true back then, however, hold true even today, and will continue to do so for all times to come. Do we ever teach our children to speak a lie, practice violence or untouchability, or to be dishonest? Will we ever do so? I think not. Gandhi ji once made the, now famous, remark, “Truth and Non-Violence are as old as the hills.” Hills, we all know, are pretty good at surviving the trials and tribulations of time.

Truth is one of the basic tenets that we should build our lives around. It is often said that sometimes it is better to lie rather than tell the truth. But who is it better for, and for how long? In the long run, speaking the truth will always hold you in good stead .Your truth might sometimes hurt you and others at that particular moment, but over a period of time, the benefits of speaking the truth will manifest themselves. All you need is the courage to speak the truth, and the patience to wait for the results. Be honest with yourself, be sure of who you are, and understand what you want out of life, and you will find peace and happiness.

Non-violence is controlling one’s thoughts and temper, even under tiring circumstances. Recently, a friend was narrating an incident where he thought he would feel less of a man if he did not react violently. This could have happened to the best of us. A deeper enquiry quickly reveals that it is the insecurity within us that propels us towards violence. We want to reassure ourselves that we are strong. True strength, however, lies in knowing your strength without having the need to prove it. This is also what Gandhiji meant when he said, “Non-violence is the weapon of the strong”. Anyone can get angry, but only someone who is in supreme control of himself, can refrain from a display of anger, which will, anyway, make him feel sorry later.

Gandhism does not have to seek relevance today as Gandhi ji’s principles will always be relevant. If these simple principles could help a common man, from an average family, to bring down the the mighty British Empire, they can, in the least, help us in living a happy and a contented life.