How is it possible?

From childhood, my mind was filled with curiosity and I used to constantly try to find solutions to my questions.

I had just started attending school. There was a sports competition in the neighbouring village and we all went there to participate. After the event, we started on our return journey, but it very soon became dark. It was a clear night and the moon was shining, giving light to all. I was walking ahead with my friends with some other of the children lagging behind. I looked up at the moon and walking on, I observed that the moon was also walking with me! Oh! I asked myself, ‘Does this mean that the children who are at the back are walking in darkness?’ I became worried for them and immediately told my friends that we should stop. So we stopped and I saw that the moon also halted.

When the other children caught up with us, I asked them, ‘How did you manage to walk in the darkness as the moon was walking with us?’ Innocently they said, ‘No, the moon was walking with us.’

I enquired, ‘How is that possible? There is only the one moon. When we were running, the moon was running with us. Then how is it possible that with you, the slow ones, the moon was walking slowly? That is simply not possible!

My mind was perplexed by this question, but I could not find any immediate answer to it. I returned home with my friends with the question still on my mind. I had to resolve this. So, I asked my friends to walk in opposite directions and to observe the movement of the moon.

All of them categorically said, ‘The moon is walking with us.’

I was still wondering how this is possible. One moon, yet it was walking in opposite directions simultaneously! I looked for an explanation everywhere – at school, at home, everywhere, but still could not find an answer. Today when I reflect upon this, I wonder if I am able to answer such questions when posed by others.

To know the truth of this universe’s infinite mysteries and to respectfully accept the knowledge and experience of others is very difficult and this is the reason why intolerance, sectarian hatred, conflicts as well as wars continue to flourish.

Pujya Gurudev had said, ‘There is only one moon, one sun – they do not create any conflict. In the same way if we consider ourselves as one race, one nation, one religion then what reason is there for conflict to arise?