“Hitler may have lost the war on the battle field, but he ended up winning something,” says M. Halter. “Because in the 20th century, men created the concentration camp, resuscitated torture, and taught their fellow men that it is possible to close one’s eyes to the misfortunes of others.”
Perhaps he is right: there are abandoned children, massacred civilians, innocent people in jail, lonely old people, drunkards in the gutter, crazy men wielding power.
But then perhaps he is quite wrong: the Warriors of Light exist, and they never accept what is unacceptable.
The most important words in any language are small words. “Yes,” for example. Love. God. These are words that are easy to utter, and they fill in empty spaces in our world.
However, there is one word – also a small one – that we find difficult to say: “No”.
And we see ourselves as generous, understanding, and polite. Because “no” is considered to be cursed, egoistic, not at all spiritual.
We have to be careful here. There are moments when we say “yes” to others and in fact are saying “no” to ourselves.
All the great men and women in the world have been people who, rather than say “yes”, said a very big NO to everything that did not fit their ideal of bounty and growth.
Warriors of Light recognize one another just by looking. They are in the world, they are part of the world, and they were sent to the world without provisions or sandals. Often they are cowards. They do not always act properly.
Warriors of Light suffer for trivial things, worry about petty matters, and feel incapable of growing. Occasionally Warriors of Light feel they are unfit for any blessing or miracle.
Warriors of Light frequently ask what they are doing here. Many times they feel that their life has no meaning.
That is why they are Warriors of Light. Because they make mistakes. Because they ask. Because they continue to look for a meaning. But above all because they have the capacity to say “no” when they are faced with things they cannot accept.
We may often be called intolerant, but it is important to open up and fight against everything and all circumstances if we see injustice or cruelty. No-one can admit that, after all is said and done, Hitler set a pattern that can be repeated because people are incapable of protesting. And to reinforce this fight, let us not forget the words of John Bunyan, author of the classic “Pilgrim’s Progress”:
“For all that I have suffered, I do not regret the problems that I have faced – because they are what brought me to where I wanted to arrive. Now that I am close to death, all that I have is this sword, and I hand it over to whoever wants to follow their pilgrimage.
“I carry with me all the marks and scars of the combats – they are the witnesses of what I have lived through, and the rewards for what I have conquered. It is these cherished marks and scars that will open for me the gates of Heaven.
“There was a time when I was always hearing stories of bravery. There was a time when I lived only because I needed to live. But now I live because I am a warrior, and because one day I want to be in the company of Him in whose name I have fought so hard.”
So scars are necessary when we fight against Absolute Evil, or when we have to say “no” to all those who, sometimes with the best of intentions, try to impede our journey towards dreams.
tags technorati : Technorati Paulo Coelho Paulo Coehlo Warrior of Light Warrior of the Light Newsletter
inspiring….its a reminder to everyone that they have a duty…
I will go by the words of the former prime minister of my country, Tony blair,
“The trick to leaderhdip is not to say yes, but to say no, it is very easy to say yes.”
It is true, though people want to hear yes, they may regret it later on. It is a tough decision to say no to 60 million people over something, and I respect all of those who have done that, I have and always will have a deep respect for people who can say no.
Hello Coelho, It is some years since I first made contact on your site. It was a time when ‘by accident’ I met a work colleague who also reads your wisdom and he introduce me to another colleague who had walked the Santiago Path. We sat sipping tea and the Pilgramme told me he had met you on the Path. You said, “you will find love on this Path’ and he did. Days later he met an Australian woman. They married and now live somewhere in Sydney. At that time I spoke of my deep desire to also be a Pilgrimme. On that day it all felt possible. (It is yet to happen) However just last week the same colleague who I had not seen since that first day walked back across my Path and I began to think again about The Santigo Path and why in life I continually fail to achieve anything. So much happens as the tides of life ebb and flow and years pass and while I appreciate I am both consciously and unconsciously able to assist others I cannot do so for myself. I am 60 in May and what I celebrate cannot be shared with many people as I would sound like a crazy person. Also I have retreated from life as I cannot add anything and there is little I can be sustained by. I now go to work and return to the Cave. When I first found your site I was elated as I realised I am not unique or alone on my Spiritual Path. Today for the second time I experience a surge of Grace that reinforces that. Why of all days do I read…’the importance of saying NO’ ?…Why indeed? Apart from reminding me I have never really had the courage to say NO I am also reminded that being an “Engel” does deliver one onto a Path of Lightworking/Bearing and so almost automatically attracts NO from the status quo who rely more on outer light ( and its many forms ) to fill and light their path. I am in a public cafe and have printed your wisdom onto paper which I will take to my abode and allow more of me to emerge as I recognise the space between your words. It is strange to hold a heavy heart and yet know nothing will change that until Grace moves yet again, yet again. walk gently Christine
“We may often be called intolerant, but it is important to open up and fight against everything and all circumstances if we see injustice or cruelty.”
sound advise this, wonder why only few take it, when it has been available, this advise that is, since religion evolved.
being able to say ‘no’ is tough for good people, whenever we say a yes or a no, we should be able to put ourselves in the shoes of the person to whom we are saying this, feel how that person feels; what is important our dreams or our mutual coexistance ?
Mr Halter sees hitler’s ‘achievements in one light, that he showed to the world that it’s possible for people to close eyes to other’s misfortunes; what Hitler showed was not what he created, he merely used an alreday existing trait of human nature. Unfortunately, that trait is still very much present.
aditya
a wonderful statement a must to read for those who are determined to face the world with reality.
Hi Paulo
a really beautiful piece! As a Catholic in the midst of Lent, I picked up on “And we see ourselves as generous, understanding, and polite. Because “no” is considered to be cursed, egoistic, not at all spiritual.”
Sometimes “no” comes in the spirit of Lent, and sometimes placing limits on ourselves and others are a manifestation of love. We are all limited expressions of a boundless Love… maybe you less limited than others!
All my love,
s.
As I get older and hopefully wiser, I realized more and more the power of the word “no”. For me it has always been difficult to say no, probably out of a need to be liked, or to be useful, or to gain praise for what I do. In the past three years however “no” has become a more often used word in my vocabulary. I don’t want you to think that I’ve become more selfish or less nice; I still have the need to please. I have gone through some health trials that have forced me, or maybe taught me is a better term, I must say no now, so I can continue to say yes for many more years to come. I also realize that by saying no I’m actually saying yes because I enable people to do the things that otherwise I would be doing myself and in that way I say yes. Yes I welcome your help; yes you can do that (whatever it is I used to do for you). In a broader sense history has more often been made by people who say no. No to slavery; no to injustice; no to apartheid; no to human rights violations; no to racism; no to communism; no to religious persecution; no to terrorism; no to fanaticism, and the list is endless. So I want to say “NO” and feel empowered.
Dear Paulo,
I am from nepal and residing in India. I love your books and i see Ramayan and Mahabaratha in your works. You are doing a great service to the mankind by pointing to the higher truth in form of beautiful stories. They are just very suitable to the mind to grasp and move ahead. The technically explained spiritual guides are boring for new comers in this field. Your works are a treat for all warriors of light and your work are also helping common man to become warriors. It is yet another blessing to be in your connection, somehow. And i am lucky to come across this site. One question?? do you still smoke??
Love