What Is True Power?
Afternoon Reflection
In Cambodia, there is a familiar slogan: “អំណានគឺជាអំណាច”, which means “Reading Is Power.”
Many people go to school, college, or university to gain knowledge and develop skills. We learn how to read and write, study different techniques, and acquire knowledge that can help us build our future. I also believe that education is a form of power because knowledge gives us the ability to understand, make decisions, and see possibilities that we may not have seen before.
But what does “power” really mean?
Different people may answer this question differently.
Some believe that power exists within ourselves. Others believe that unity gives people power. In some political systems, power may be concentrated in the hands of one leader or a small group. In democratic societies, political power is expressed through the people and their elections. At the international level, many people see powerful countries such as the United States, China, or Russia as having significant influence over world affairs.
But this morning, a close friend gave me another meaning of power.
He told me, “Take your power back.”
He explained that, in his opinion, after I got married, I gradually gave away much of the personal authority I once had. When I was single, I managed my work, business, responsibilities, and relationships with confidence. After marriage, however, I sometimes allowed circumstances and the expectations of others to influence my decisions more than I should have.
His words made me stop and look within myself.
I asked, “Is this really someone else’s fault, or do my own choices have something to do with where I am today?”
After my friend left the café, I reflected carefully.
What I discovered was simple:
Action shapes life.
Our present circumstances are often connected to the decisions and actions we have made in the past. This does not mean that other people have no influence on our lives. Family, culture, circumstances, and social expectations can all influence our decisions. But ultimately, we must recognize our own responsibility for the choices we make.
In Cambodia, marriage has traditionally involved family participation, and in some families parents play an important role in introducing or approving a marriage. My own marriage was also influenced by family involvement.
Looking back, however, I realize that I still had a responsibility to understand my choices and make decisions about my own life.
After marriage, I also made choices and took actions that were sometimes irresponsible or negative. Those actions became causes that contributed to some of the circumstances I experience today.
Therefore, blaming my parents, my wife, my family, or anyone else would not give me genuine power.
Taking responsibility does.
This reflection also taught me something else: power is temporary.
There was a time when I had greater influence within my family. Today, that situation is different. Perhaps one day it may change again.
If I spend my life trying to “take back my power,” I may simply create another struggle for control.
Real power may not be controlling others at all.
Perhaps real power is the ability to control our own thoughts, words, actions, decisions, and responses.
If power comes and goes, wisdom teaches us not to become attached to it.
Instead of asking, “How can I make other people listen to me?”
Perhaps we should ask:
“How can I become someone whose actions deserve to be trusted?”
That is a different kind of power.
It does not require fear.
It does not require control.
It does not depend on other people obeying us.
It begins within.
Knowledge gives us understanding. Responsibility gives us direction. Mindfulness gives us awareness. Wise action gives our life a new course.
So perhaps the greatest power is not the power to control the world around us.
It is the power to understand ourselves, take responsibility for our actions, learn from our past, and choose more wisely from this moment forward.
Power may leave us.
Circumstances may change.
People may change.
But the wisdom we develop through understanding our own actions can remain with us.
And perhaps that is the power worth cultivating.
🌿 Reflection
Where am I trying to control something that is actually beyond my control?
What responsibility can I take for the circumstances I am experiencing today?
🌱 Practice
Today, choose one area of your life where you feel powerless.
Instead of asking, “Who should I blame?”, ask:
“What is one action I can take today that is within my control?”
Take that one small action mindfully.
💚 Blessing
May we understand that true power does not come from controlling others.
May we have the courage to take responsibility for our choices, the wisdom to learn from our mistakes, and the patience to create better causes for tomorrow.
May we use knowledge to understand, mindfulness to observe, and wise action to transform our lives.
And when power comes to us, may we use it responsibly.
When power leaves us, may we remain peaceful.
May we discover that the greatest power has always been the ability to guide our own mind and actions toward wisdom, compassion, harmony, and inner peace.
— Raksmey Koy
Art of Inner Peace
www.artofinnerpeace.com
Continue Your Journey
If today’s reflection touched your heart, I invite you to explore my books on Amazon. Each one is written to inspire mindfulness, wisdom, and inner peace. Thank you for walking this journey with me.
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/raksmeykoy
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