16 May 2013 - QA 3

Gurudev, if love means to spread joy and happiness, then why does it hurt so much?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You know, the first experience we have when we come to this planet is pain. When we came out of the mother’s womb it was painful. It was painful for both the mother and the child.
For nine months, the child happily floats within the mother’s womb and has to do nothing. Its food is directly supplied to the stomach and it does not even have to chew anything.
As a baby, you were in such a blissful condition for nine months and then suddenly the water disappeared and you were forced to come out of that comfort zone. That was painful for you. So that was your very first experience of coming to the planet.
When you first came, it was so painful that you started crying. If you would have not cried, then your parents would have cried! So you cried and the people around you laughed (in joy and happiness at birth). Just imagine what it was like, you cried on being born and everyone else was happy.
Your second experience was love. After being born when your mother took you in her arms, you felt so much love and care. Everybody in the family loved you. Your grandmother, grandfather, uncles, aunties, everyone. All loved you and gave you so much attention. But all this came after experiencing a little pain, isn’t it? So pain is a part of love and you should simply swallow the bitter pill. It is good for you. Do not try to run away from the pain. If you run away from the pain, you also run away from love.