Essential? Not essential?

My life is an indivisible whole, and all my attitudes run into one another; and they all have their rise in my insatiable love for mankind.        ---Mahatma Gandhi

We should be able to make all sorts of graceful concessions on things that do not matter in life and yet stand unshakable on essentials. 

To do this, we have to be detached from our opinions. I'm not recommending that we be wishy-washy, or lack strength in our convictions, but that we cultivate the forbearance not to force our opinions on others. When we have strength of conviction we will not get rattled when people question or contradict us. Mahatma Gandhi, for example, was not in favor of tea or coffee, but he would make a cup of tea for his wife each morning just the way she liked it. 

This is bending gracefully on nonessentials. When it came to essentials, however, Gandhi was unshakable. His dedication to nonviolence was so absolute that he would abruptly call off a successful nationwide program of noncooperation with the British if he heard any reports of violence committed by his countrymen, even those who did not acknowledge him as their leader. ---Easwaran

This brings to mind lots of questions.
  • Have I done a reasonably thorough job in assessing which things are really essential, and which are non-essential? 
  • How do we make such assessments? 
  • What should be used as a set of criteria?
  • How does one assemble criteria in order to rightly discern what is really essential for life?
Clearly we must not consider our likes and dislikes as essentials. That also would have to go for my opinions and preferences. Not essential. 
In order to sustain life, and to maintain some semblance of "life as we know it"...food, clothing and shelter probably are......... essential.
But the finest clothing, the richest food, the most elaborate of homesteads, all the comforts thereof...hmmm. Not essential.
The esteem and affection of others? Certainly preferred, but essential? Maybe yes and maybe no? In some circumstances?
The security and survival of myself and my loved ones? This is dependent on the extent to which I go out of my way to harm those who threaten my security and my survival.
My personal "power" in this world, and my ability to control the circumstances around me? Not essential. Not possible.
Dare I let go of these things? Survival? Security? Power? Control? Esteem? Affection?
Hard to do, this letting go.
How about my beliefs and values? If others do not agree, is it essential that I prove that I am right? Right. Not essential.
How about my heart's desire? My big dreams in life? My will to succeed? Can I let these go? 
Yes, it is essential that I let these go.
Jesus clearly instructs us to "leave all the things you have, and come, follow me." *Matthew 19:18-22
Mandatory? No.
Essential? What do you think?
How you answer shapes the direction and the essentials of your life.



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