Look Through A Wider Lens Poem by Amrit Rathi
Look Through A Wider Lens
A slight adversity like a storm,
one small problem like thunder,
terribly shakes us and makes us wonder:
what could I do? How can I cope
with enormous pain,
and the dwindling hope?
The more I feel the worse my pain,
the problems look much more, bigger
than they really are perhaps,
and bouts of panic they eventually trigger.
One friend told me, “There is a way.
At the world, look through a wider lens,
and I bet you won't ever be tense.”
And he told me a story that
makes a whole lot of sense.
One student,
restless and quite disturbed,
approached his teacher, who said,
“Put a tablespoon of salt
in a glass of water and drink.
Is it salty? ” the teacher blinked.
Replied the student, “Yes, I think! ”
“Now pour the same quantity
of salt into the water,
bubbling from that spring
through the ground in the front,
and drink it and tell me how it tastes”
asked the teacher.
”No taste! ” was the student’s reply.
“Ah, the problem is not the salt,
but the container, ” said the teacher,
“So make it bigger.”
How aloof and self-absorbed
you often feel with your problems
in your utter dismay entirely sealed?
Just look at the world and sufferings
before your eyes with a kind heart;
your own problems will look so meager.
Your body chemistry, your life will start
to change, and you will learn
to live with your problems.
If you feel down, just step outside yourself
and in turn devote a few hours to help
every day a person or an animal:
you will know its immediate effect-this is a fact.
So look through a wider lens,
and you will create incredible resilience.
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love and live your troubles and never say I am done.....I said in one of my poems. Most of us who are sensible and sensitive feel the same way. The difference is that our expressions are different but medium is our poetry. How wonderful! Isn't it so. Your story-like poem is really interesting.
that's wonderful and meaningful...you are very wise which made your poem interesting.good take off and a safe landing. thanks for sharing (please read my poem 'plants in agony')
well-composed... definitely instills in the readers a new perspective....add a wider dimension...to the scheme of things! !
Those who have read and took this message to heart will not only look through a wider lens, but they will first remove their blinders. Great poem, great message.
You are a great poet. Keep it up.I suppose experience has thought you to look through a wider lens.
Wider lens but also not on ourselves constantly. If we treat ourselves as gods than any problem, minor or major, will appear as unbearable. The key is to redirect such lens (like you suggested in your poem) on someone else maybe in need. By nature, we are selfish and we need to become more altruistic. Good work! !
Your profound knowledge always amazes and delights me. Excellent poem
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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12/5/2025 7:03:06 AM # 1.0.0
Wow Sir, I feel motivated now...You are a great thinker and a great writer.. loved the last 2 lines...infact the whole poem is brilliant