By
hook or crook we adopt all sorts of strategies to attain worldly amenities. We also delude
ourselves by demonstrating our gentlemanliness. Thus we get engulfed in mundane affairs
like a spider entangling himself in his own web. We do not step out of the worldly spheres
till our health is OK. Thus we stay oblivious of our identity and our mission in life. We
are, however, terrified when overwhelmed by some disease and death stares us in the face.
Depression then looms large on our face. Our talk becomes acrimonious. In our bed we are
assailed by various thoughts. Then our perception takes an introspective turn, away from
worldliness.
During
illness, the queries made by persons visiting us are generally on the same pattern. How
are you? What is the state of your health? What do the doctors advise? While parting, they
tender us un-invited advice for rest. Such guys include letter writers and those who wish
to maintain relation with us. We, however, come to know from their style as to who has a
soft or hard corner for us. We also come to know that those who have been unfairly treated
by us, bear a grouse against us. Then we feel sore at our misbehaviour. We are also
induced to become cautious in future. In the event of our recovery from illness, we may
aspire to lead a better life. We can then pray to live long in order to adopt a noble
style of life. Apparently all this seems to be desirable. After
all, such an aspiration adorns us with higher human values. But the act of brushing aside
God’s will and praying for long life amounts to harping on one’s own tune.
Acceptance of the maxim of sagacious folk that all cravings for the comforts of life are
the outcome of man’s nescience, even the prayer for long life implies an element of
begging or receiving. In brief, illness can give positive direction to our thinking and
manifest pleasant improvements in our life if we survive.
God
- realized mystics have a style of living altogether different from ours. They take this
world as a carnival, theatre wherein they are only witnesses or spectators. Thus they have
a good time and do not worry even about life and death. The reason is that they are aware
of the inevitability of death. Death can be caused by some factor other than illness also.
That explains absence of any reflection of disappointment on their faces during illness.
Nor does illness affect their sweet tone. The mystics maintain their communion with God
even during illness. They even divert the attention of doctors, nurses and their family
members to spiritualism and do a noble duty. At this juncture, all their friends are
anxious about their health.
The
idea is that we should feel inspired by the lives of saints and sages. We must mould our
heads and hearts towards a truthful life. It should also be our endeavour to embellish our
life with high values so that we welcome death with smiles by leading a saintly-life.