July 20, 2020
With the pandemic spreading its wings far and wide and monstrously killing tens and thousands of people in the world, my mind couldn’t stop wondering about the enigma of “Life “and “Death”.
I had read somewhere that “Death” is not the end of “Life”, but “Death” is an inevitable part of Life”. I couldn’t agree more……especially so when any of our near and dear ones bid adieu unexpectedly to us and to this mortal world, forever.
Words won’t suffice to heal the pain or console the heart that mourns the death of a loved one. Only time can heal this unfathomable wound. Every time I hear about the demise of any of my family members or friends, I always remember the Buddhist parable, which my mother once told me.
It is- “The Parable of the Mustard Seed”, where a young mother loses her little son and goes from house to house with her dead child with the hope that someone would have medicine for it. Finally, she meets Buddha, who says that he can give life to her son only if she brings some mustard seeds. But, she should get it from a house where no one has died. The young woman goes to almost all the houses in the village but doesn’t find a single house or a family that hasn’t been touched by “Death”. She then realizes that nothing in this world is permanent and accepts the loss of her son.
So, when “Death” comes thieving into our lives, our families and catches us off guard, all we should do is accept it. I know that it’s easier said than done. The more we resist this loss and grief, the more painful and never-ending it will be. Leave the agony to the great medic called “Time”.
A few lines that just spilled out from my mind on this “unforeseen horizon”
The Unforeseen Horizon
We never know if we have reached the life's horizon
It keeps differing from person to person
Some arrive at the edge unexpectedly
Others reach there unknowingly, accidentally or way too quickly
And those who are tired of life's parody
Might want to reach it quite early
Or the people who want to live life the fullest
Would wish to push the border the farthest
The ones in their ailing autumn days
Might want to be there with no more delays
All of us ought to reach our margin someday
What lies beyond it, no one can say
A smooth sail till the end is all we need to pray
An attempt to cease or shove the unforeseen horizon is forlorn
For life stealthily drives us towards it from the moment we are born.
Well…..we all have to reach that horizon someday……But, until then let’s not measure life by years, instead, let’s live life deeply and thoughtfully.
Image source: unsplash.com