Waiting patiently for things far out of one's reach is aspiration. It takes time to be fulfilled, but will surely be accomplished. Aiming at things one does not deserve on any showing is sterile ambition and helps one to lose what he already has. The rule works in two opposite ways for people of two opposite endowments. A goal and an aim are essential. An aimless life achieves nil. Discipline is necessary. A life devoid of discipline is worthless. What one aims for matters, but how he does it matters more. Sometimes children accomplish on the strength of parental endeavour. Aspiration is the right motive; ambition is not. The Force I speak of on earth supports aspiration. Devotees achieve on the strength of that Force. Aspiration for the right thing always comes true. Sometimes even on the strength of another's aspiration, one's unrealistic ambitions are realised. Most of the illustrations I have been citing qualify for that description.
A friend suggested to an executive in an advertising company to acquire a two wheeler, giving up his cycle. The executive replied, "Many friends tell me the same thing, but I do not want a two wheeler, I am waiting for a four wheeler." In about two years, he lost his job. In the last ten years he had secured no job. For a short while, he had one on half the previous pay. He could not retain it for long. In our cultural context, non-earning members are often supported by other family members. One such family was supported by others for 28 years. This man had such an ambition to educate his son in the Sainik School. The result was he took a degree that did not secure him a job even on Rs. 1500/- in the eighties or nineties. This Force is Grace. Grace offers even ambition what aspiration too cannot hope for. That happens all the time. It lasts when ambition readily transforms itself into aspiration. At that moment, as a rule we hear the voice of ambition, "Please try to change my ambition into aspiration."
It was suggested to one who had no cycle nor the means to acquire a cycle that he learn cycling so that, out of kindness, a cycle could be procured for him to lessen his onerous duties which included a long walk every day more than once. That person answered, "Who travels on a cycle now-a-days? Even the milkman is using a two wheeler." There ended the offer. The long walk remained a long walk. The onerous duties lengthened. But the compassion in the offer remained active as it came from the Force. It brought a boon a hundred times greater than the value of a cycle. Human refractoriness remains as perverse as it is capable of. In an atmosphere of freedom, the Force sails into action. The same atmosphere releases the naked ambitions of human nature in a greater measure. Human emotions are in a grade of pity, sympathy, compassion, Grace. As the Force moves the springs of compassion, it is not hurt or offended by perversities. We can move to better attitudes.