I think everyone, at some time or the other, should come face to face with death – because nothing, but the awesomeness of death brings home the message loud and clear that we should savor every moment of life. We enjoy the good, but even in the bad and the ugly there is something to be learnt and garnered which enriches living. If only we graciously, and gratefully accept what comes our way, we’ll find peace…
Sitting beside my mother and seeing her slowly fade away has been the single most powerful time of my life. Some lessons I learnt are:
How strong the life force is…
How beautifully Nature works in us, shutting down our internal systems as they should—we have to realize and respect the fact that there comes a time when it is not dignified to poke tubes and such like in the body of a person who is dying. It is much better to leave it to Nature—and Nature does it so, so beautifully…
There is clearly some kind of state in between life and final death—because I can see my mother communicating with something?/someone? outside of herself. She is oblivious to us sitting beside her and is very much in another zone of existence…
How little we need food – and how foolish we are to be greedy for it – how foolish to get upset if we miss a meal or if the meal is not something we ‘usually’ eat. The body very naturally makes its own adjustments in a person who, for whatever reason, is fasting (in the case of my mother a cerebral stroke has shut down the functioning of her brain stem cells). Finally, gradually without any trauma, the body functions cease – in a very natural way. I’ve learnt how to respect the way Nature made us.
Of how little value are material things – money is required, yes, in order to live in and with dignity, but making the acquiring of things material the main focus of life is totally futile, because when one is at death’s door, they don’t give any spiritual comfort or solace – in fact the only things of lasting value are things of the spirit…
How important it is to live life happily and well – not with an oppressive, obsessive, rigid sense of discipline and purpose, nor an irresponsible freewheeling style—but sanely, relishing and savoring every moment,
How important it is to live a simple life…then, you live life to the fullest, and meet death fearlessly and as a rest from life's labor...