Times Of Swaziland: A GEM CANNOT BE POLISHED WITHOUT FRICTION

A GEM CANNOT BE POLISHED WITHOUT FRICTION
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Bongani Simelane on 20/07/2024 06:57:00


Back in the time of this statement, gemstones were polished by grinding.
Cutting and cleaving, as we know them today, had yet to be invented. If you
wanted something shiny, you ground it to the basic shape, then smoothed it with
fine grit and then polished it.
Each stage was done by way of friction, and the grinding off of the parts which
were unwanted. The result of a great deal of work was a perfected gemstone,
polished and shiny. Similarly, humans are perfected through the learning
process, which include pop quizzes and the occasional essay test or trial. In
this manner, we polish ourselves. We go through trials, and the ideas that
don’t work are eliminated and better ones are created or found. With each
learning experience, we become better and we approach perfection.It is one thing
to face a trial, a test, a difficulty or a challenge.
Difficulty
That happens all the time. What matters is that we learn from these events and
that we either avoid them next time, or at least move past them with much less
difficulty than last time.
That means we have to learn. To learn, we have to have been paying attention. If
we’re just drifting along through life, we’re probably not paying much
attention, right? But we also need to properly analyse what happened and why, if
we are to avoid it in the future. These skills are learned by repetition, which
is why babies and toddlers frequently do things over and over before learning,
and then knowing better. Eventually, we begin to recognise patterns and learning
gets easier. And the more you learn, the easier it is to spot the patterns.
The same goes for determining why things happen, so that we might better avoid
the problem next time. If you keep having the same problem, it might be worth
taking a little time to examine what you think the nature of the problem is, and
see if that is something you need to change. This statement is as much about
attitude as it is about fortitude.
The quote talks about how we, as humans, are perfected. Trials, tribulations,
obstacles and difficulties of all shapes and sizes are all around us.
Situation
As we clear our path, we learn how to avoid or deal with each different
situation. Over time, most of us get pretty good at recognising and either
avoiding or minimising, the effort needed to get past them. In this manner, we
have been perfected. Whether it’s a skill set we are perfecting, our ability
to interact socially, or working on our relationships, we are attempting to
become better at every turn. Yes, sometimes we make mistakes, but that provides
another learning opportunity as well.In short, that was the long way of saying
you have been doing this your entire life, and will likely be doing it until
your very last breath. It is part of how humans operate, and how life seems to
work. The only question is how well you do it, and how much attention you pay to
these events. Like a baby, picking up a toy and dropping it, over and over
again, some people try the same thing, hoping for a better result.
Gravity
A baby doesn’t understand that gravity still works, and doesn’t need to be
continually tested. An addict, for some reason, cannot understand that they are
making things worse. The first step is usually to stumble into a situation. Now
you have to figure out what happened, and what needs to be done to get out of
the situation. If you have no idea, then you can expect to take some time, and
to learn a number of ways that don’t work. You can also try to find
information to help you. You can learn from the lessons others were taught, and
polish yourself more quickly and more easily than they were able to manage.You
can use books, the internet or even a friend who has some experience. After a
few of these, you start recognising patterns. It’s kind of like figuring out
that hangovers seem to be related to drinking.  You start seeing the trials from
a greater and greater distance.
Perfection
This is you, approaching perfection, as that particular trial can no longer
polish you. We are all imperfect beings.  We all need a little polishing here
and there.  We can either whine about what is happening to us, or we can focus
on learning so that it doesn’t happen again.  My path in this matter is clear.
Which will you do? Sometimes we need to enjoy our wilderness, its meant for us
as individuals and no other personal can walk it on our behalf, it is what makes
you the true you.