Maulana Wahiduddin Khan I The Sunday Guardian I 13 July 2014
Otto von Bismarck (1815-1898) was a German aristocrat and statesman.
A famous quote of his is: "Politics is the art of the possible." No doubt this observation is a correct observation. But this principle is not only applicable to politics, it is the best formula for every aspect of life.In the extended sense, it would be right to say that "life is the art of the possible."
If you are alone and living in isolation, then you can do anything, be it possible or impossible. However, when you are living in society, then you have to follow the above mentioned formula. You will have to adhere to this principle in family, national, and international life.
This formula gives us the successful principle of social living. In social life we have to deal with other people. It makes no difference whether these other people are your relatives, friends or colleagues. The fact is that by nature, every man is Mr Different and every woman is Ms Different. It is this difference that compels you to follow the "principle of the possible". If you try to live according to your own way of thinking, then it is bound to create clashes, which may lead to breakdowns. In such a situation, the only practical formula is to differentiate between what is possible for you and what is not possible for you. For example, in family life, if both partners try to follow their own desires and ignore the other, then it would lead to confrontation. Similarly, if, in social life you try to implement your own system and ignore the others, then it is bound to create conflict. The basic problem of social life is that every moment you have to deal with differences. If you try to eliminate the difference, then you are trying to opt for the impossible. Following the possible and avoiding the impossible is the greatest wisdom of life.