Life Is Not A Logbook of Misfortunes
By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam
12 December 2025
Julius Caesar once stated, “As a rule, men worry more about what they can't see than about what they can." This profound observation emphasizes the power of the unknown and its ability to consume an individual's thoughts. It suggests that humans tend to be more preoccupied with uncertainties and things beyond their immediate perception, often fearing and apprehensive about what lies in the invisible realms of life. This quote beautifully encapsulates the tendency of human nature to dwell on the mysteries and unpredictable elements, causing anxiety and a heightened focus on the uncertainties rather than acknowledging and addressing the tangible aspects within their grasp. It serves as a reminder of the importance of taking control over one's worries and focusing on what is real and tangible.
Caesar's quote can be compared to Honore De Balzac's quote "Our worst misfortunes never happen, and most miseries lie in anticipation." It conveys a profound truth about the human experience. Often, we find ourselves burdened by anxiety and dread, constantly imagining worst-case scenarios and dwelling on potential misfortunes. However, Balzac suggests that these imagined sufferings rarely come to pass, and our deepest miseries actually stem from our own anticipation of them. The quote serves as a reminder to live in the present moment, appreciating the good that we have and freeing ourselves from the unnecessary burden of anxieties and worries that may never materialize.
Whole human life is a saga of imagined worries and anticipated fears. Life constantly lies in the penumbra of unfounded fear. You may have noticed as the year 2025 is drawing to an end, innumerable astrologers on TV channels are frightening us by 'predicting' that the year on the anvil is even worse and more dangerous than 2025 and we believe in their negative predictions like gullible fools. Mark my words, nothing of that sort will happen just the way no World War III did break out but many 'renowned' and 'eminent' astrologers predicted in the end of 2024 and in the beginning of 2025 that World War III was imminent and the clouds of the impending apocalypse were looming large. Neither happened.
Don't be so cynical and pessimistic. Life's not a logbook of misfortunes. Agreed, many mishaps happen. But at the same time, great happenings also enrich our lives and make us happy. But we tend to worry about things that never happen to us. Believe that the best will happen to you and you'll find that the good things are really happening. It's some sort of a message or signal that we give to our subconscious. If the message has a tone of negativity, negative things will befall us and if there's a streak of positivity to it, good tidings will overwhelm us. Remember the famous quote that 'The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves.' In this memorable quote from Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, the character Caesar utters the words, " The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves." Caesar conveys the idea that our misfortunes and failures cannot be attributed to fate or external circumstances, but rather, they are a consequence of our own actions and decisions. With these words, Caesar implores his trusted friend Brutus not to place blame on external forces or destiny, but to recognize the power we hold over our own lives. It serves as a powerful reminder that we are the masters of our own destiny, and any shortcomings can be rectified by self-reflection and personal growth. The year 2026 is in the offing. Believe that it'll be a great year for mankind, not just for you and I. It'll be an annus mirabilis for all of us and not an annus horribilis for any human.
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A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/life-logbook-misfortunes/d/137986
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