Emotion is defined as a mental state having to do with the arousal of strong feeling such as love, fear or anger. Intellect is the ability to learn and reason and the capacity for knowledge and understanding. Knowledge and experience are key factors in shaping one’s intelligence.

Both are equally important. The question is: What should be the deciding factor in any activity that we undertake? The answer is simple: intelligence. Why? Let us see what happens on a regular basis in our lives.

When we speak, do we say what is in our best interest or keep quiet because that would have been wise? No! We speak first and then suffer its consequence. Do we watch, especially on television, what serves us well and does not pollute our consciousness? No! We routinely watch that which is positively harmful. How about reading? How many of us read scriptures at all, never mind routinely? The same goes for writing where we try and evoke emotions in the minds of our readers rather than share wisdom. How do we choose marriage partners? What about the choice of friends?

Do we ever befriend someone who is critical of us? Rarely, for most of us are addicted to the effects of flattery. Hear any preacher and you will notice that he or she is more interested in rousing your emotions rather than helping you link with god, How do we deal with others-with wisdom or emotion? What does such an approach do to us? It gets us in trouble. We get sidetracked from our goals. We do not achieve all that we could have and we do not progress in life.

Let us first accept that emotions will always be there. They have an invaluable role in our lives. But they should be tempered with intelligence as and when required. One should gather as much knowledge as possible and apply it. In short, one should weigh all emotions against the call of our intellect before taking any decision. What would be the result of such an exercise? Our lives will move in a steady upward curve, without violent ups and downs. Now, isn’t that what we really want?