Shon Mehta

In a monastery, there were many student monks . Sojuk was the most pious of them all. Every day, he would get up early, and meditate. Whenever he saw or heard about someone in trouble, he prayed for them. Everybody respected him for his compassion. All the students joined Sojuk in his prayers, except one -- Brima. Many times, students asked Brima to join in the prayers for troubled people, but he would refuse and go away. One year, the head monk decided to declare the name of the "most compassionate monk." Everybody was sure that it would be Sojuk. But the monk declared Brima's name instead. "Brima? But he never prayed for any troubled ones. How can he be the most compassionate one?" wondered the students. The monk sensed the uneasiness. "You all must be wondering, why Brima?" said the wise monk. "See, when you all were busy praying for troubled people, he was busy helping them. When you were busy praying for that sick man'...

The world is going through an upheaval due to the coronavirus pandemic. Most of us have never faced this kind of situation in our lifetimes. Nobody knows how things will turn out. This is leading to anxiety about our health, well-being of our loved-ones, our financial situation, our future, and so on. Here are a few things which are helping me cope with my anxieties: 1) The Rule of One Each day, prioritize and handle one problem at a time. Some of us could already be suffering from an illness, or facing scarcity of money, or even (as is happening to someone I know) getting evicted from our homes. Trying to solve all your problems at the same time tends to overwhelm.  Instead, figure which problem affects you the most that day, then focus on it alone. If you are ill, just focus on getting better. If you are unable to find food, forget the rest and focus on food. If getting evicted, first focus on finding shelter -- other problems can wait. One da...

Acceptance A poem by Shon Mehta For some, it is a beloved they are eager to meet. For some, it is an enemy they are anxious to face. For some, it is a stranger they are trying to ignore. In truth, it is a destiny that nobody can escape. So, for me, when death comes  there will only be acceptance.

" Almost " is a short story by author Shon Mehta. Read By Shon Mehta. Author’s Note:  This recording is the official and exclusive narration of "Almost" by Shon Mehta. We kindly remind our visitors that this audio is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use, reproduction, or AI-training using this voice file is strictly prohibited.

We are frequently told that the world would be a gentler place if we simply outgrew our ancient faiths. Recently, I encountered several articles and discussions making exactly that claim—that religion is the root cause of violence in society. Yet this view rests on an oversimplification, one that risks misunderstanding both history and human nature. Not everyone who follows religion supports violence. For most people, prayer acts as a coping mechanism, a means of finding peace and spiritual growth. Prayer isn’t meant to be a grand display, but a surrender—a quiet confession into the silence, seeking peace, trusting that someone, somewhere, might be listening. Ancient scriptures reflect the time in which they were created, while human ethics continue to evolve. These scriptures do not speak with one voice because they were never written at a single moment. They carry within them the dust of wars and the fragrance of compassion, the helping hands of saints and the clenched fists of bloo...

Pedro had been wide awake the entire night. All the coconut oil on his head couldn't help him calm down. Even the sleeping pill he had taken could not make him sleep for long. His anxiety about his impending homelessness had triumphed over all. He kept imagining himself sleeping on a footpath near a gutter, with filth all around him. The more he thought about it, the more anxious he became. He had not felt this anxious ever, not even when fed up of his father's abuse, had run away from a small fishing village in Goa to Mumbai. Then, he had health and youth on his side. Now he had neither. One long illness, and his entire world had come crashing down. He lost his job, and his life's savings were gone too. Now he was a frail man with an aching body, approaching sixty, with no money, no job, and no one to turn to. He still had the same thoughts, and had the same dreams of traveling the world, but his hitting a rough patch had made him a lesser person in other people...

This year has been special to me—not due to any "worldly" achievement, but for getting closer to my inner self. Ever since I remember, I had been trying to deal with an existential crisis: trying to figure out who I am, what I stand for, and what is the purpose of all I do. How can I be truly happy? As I struggled to answer these questions, I was sometimes overcome with restlessness and anxiety. This year, that changed. I came to a realization that I have been pursuing the wrong thing. I have been chasing happiness—but happiness is fleeting, and it depends on things that are mostly not in my control. Instead, I should have been working towards getting peace of mind, the inner tranquility. Peace of mind persists longer. Achieving it takes more effort—but I can achieve it on my own, by trying to do things which are in my control. Am I there yet? Not quite. But doing the following things has brought me c...