Seeing Roses and Thorns Alike: Rising Above the Dualities of Life

In this world, there will be both success and failure. Fame will touch us at times, and so will infamy. We will be praised, and will be criticised as well.
Such is the play of dualities in life—unavoidable, unpredictable, and yet deeply purposeful.

The wise know that contentment lies not in the outcome, but in the attitude.

Saints put in sincere effort, yet remain untouched by the highs or lows of the results. Why? Because they’ve surrendered the outcome at the feet of the Divine. They understand: the results are never in our hands. And when we attach ourselves to them, anxiety becomes inevitable.

Take a parent who wishes their child to turn out a certain way, despite all efforts, outcomes often defy expectations. If it were entirely in the parents’ control, every child would be an ideal son like Shravan Kumar. But life doesn’t work like that. All we can do is act with sincerity and accept with grace.

When we act without obsessing over the results, a strange magic unfolds.
Tension dissolves. The heart feels lighter. Faith replaces fear.

We begin to trust: whatever happens is for our good, for our growth.

As someone wisely said, “Don’t take life too seriously. You’re not going to come out of it alive anyway.” Why burden yourself with overthinking, attachment, or anxiety?

This world is a strange bush—on one branch blooms the soft, fragrant rose… and right next to it, thorns protrude.

People praise the rose and wear it on their coats. But who would ever pin a thorn to their chest?
And yet—it is the same plant.

The world is full of such contradictions.

Bhagwan Ram, just one night before his coronation, was sent to the forest. One moment, the kingdom was his. Next, he walked into exile.
Had this happened to us, many would have fallen into depression. But not Ram. Why?

Because saints and divine beings accept the reality of the world.
They know: if the sun rises, it will also set. If someone is born, one day they must depart.
They don’t fight these facts—they embrace them with peace.

Once, Kaka Hathrasi caught a thief in his house and walked behind him with a lantern.

The startled thief asked, “What are you doing?”

Kaka replied, “In the daytime, I couldn’t find anything in this house. Maybe you'll have better luck. If you do, we’ll split it 50-50!”

That’s the spirit. Why take things so seriously?

The deeper we look, the more we realise: the joy we seek isn't found outside—it’s within.
The world’s victories and defeats aren’t as important as we often believe.
True fulfilment lies in becoming better versions of ourselves and walking closer to the Divine.

Even Bhagwan Buddha, who renounced all royal luxuries, once asked King Prasenjit:

The king lowered his eyes. He had no answer.

Likewise, many who chase comfort and luxury, even those who move abroad in search of it, eventually discover:
True joy isn’t in possessions or positions. It’s in perspective.

Life will present roses and thorns. Praise and criticism. Heat and cold. Comfort and discomfort.
But the sign of true spiritual evolution is not the absence of duality.
It’s the capacity to remain balanced amidst it all.

When you can look at both success and failure with equanimity…
When you smile at both gain and loss…
When you see thorns and roses with the same calm eyes…
That’s when you’ve risen above the storm.

In your own life, what “thorn” are you learning to accept today?
Pause. Reflect. Let go of the need to control the outcome.

🌸 Comment below:
What does contentment mean to you, even amidst life’s ups and downs?