I spent 8 months carefully
building my sand mandala as a University Senate Staffer in preparation to
seamlessly take on the University Senator position during the 2017-2018
academic school year at Columbia University’s Student Senate. After placing my
name on the ballot and being uncontested for that position up until the
deadline for self-nominations, another colleague of mine was unconstitutionally
added to the ballot mere hours before the election was to take place—days after
the self-nomination deadline in order to be included on the ballot as per TC’s
Student Senate Constitution and Bylaws.
Last Friday, that same colleague was
unconstitutionally elected to my position as University Senator. I have been
beside myself in grief for the betrayal, not by the senator that took my position,
but by the executive leadership that made the entire senate body participate in
a sham election. I had so much faith in the transparency of the process I was
quite idealistic and projected an overly optimistic trust that the leadership
would be ethical and adhere to the constitution; because of how much preparation
and commitment I had to take on this role and how much I was advocating for
student in the past year, I didn’t stop to even contemplate or consider that impropriety
during the election was even a possibility.
I have been in a state
of numbness and shock for exactly one week now. When I see how the sand mandala
gets swept away so effortlessly, despite all the effort it took to create it,
it makes me feel validated and encouraged to strive to better incorporate the
second factor of The Noble Eightfold—Samma Sankappa, or the Right Intention in
all that I do in life to help attenuate or stave off wholly avoidable and unnecessary
suffering and mental anguish.
I am thankful for the
perspective offered by our class guest speaker because I had, for the most
part, identified mandalas with destruction. After our enlightening lecture, I
now have a fresh new lens to see mandalas in places that I wouldn’t have
readily captured them.
For example, in this Zoroastrian
symbol depicting Good Thoughts, Good Deeds, Good Words as a way to preserve
happiness and help prevent chaos in life. I can now see the mandala(s) in this ancient
symbol of the oldest recorded monotheistic religion and I can appreciate the
timelessness of this symbol; it now holds an entirely new meaning for me and I don’t
feel so devastated, betrayed or hopeless, but rather a profound sense of agency
about taking the reins of my own destiny in my hands to create a fulfilling
life in all that I endeavor by being mindful to setting the right intention and
adhering to the lessons contained in the aforementioned ancient wisdom going forward
in life.
Written on the wall in Mother Teresa's home
for children in Calcutta:
People are often
unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind,
people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some
genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive
you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years
creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy
anyway.
The good you do today,
will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you
have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never
between you and them anyway.
-this
version is credited to Mother Teresa
K.C.
