My late father was a highly-spirited person. He traveled far leaving his childhood home of Kilasevalpatti in India and went to Burma and later Ceylon to continue his money-lending business. From there he moved to Singapore and later to Malaya. He started a family here. I was their eighth child. When he returned home after a stroke he never gave up but instead used to write for hours until he perfected his writing and got to use his limbs again. He died a peaceful death at the age of 76. So was my mother. She lived until 95. Both my parents never complain and never engaged in small talk. I wish I could be like them.
We tend to collapse in the face of adversities and suffering. I guess the reason is that life has been good for some of us. We became pampered. Hence faced with problems and troubles we cannot handle them. We take it on others. We begin to blame them. We in return harm others.
This is where the saints speak about love. Their love for others moved and expanded to include all of nature and creation. Hence they refrained from harming others. They were pure to the core. It is rather difficult to adopt this in current times. It needs strong willpower and adherence to upholding principles in life. We tend to lose out here. We lack self-discipline. We have to be disciplined from the outside. Here is where there is a need for laws.
As life tapers to a standstill we begin to think about life and its purpose often. We have all the time to do so. Having a living guru would be excellent for he would share some pearls from his life and experiences. These days the guru can come in any form provided we are willing to listen.
I guess nature intended and paved the way for man to reach this state in his golden years. He loses his teeth so he returns to a diet of a baby and toddler. He loses his sight and hearing and his ability to walk bringing him to sit still. Nature creates the atmosphere for him to go within whether he likes it or not. But sadly rather than accept and work with what he has on hand, he complains that he is losing them. Acceptance of nature and how it works in bringing change in us with age will pave the way for us to pass away peacefully. My parents accepted it. They passed away peacefully.
But man due to greed and his attachment fights back even with death. He seeks God to intervene. God does extend one's life. But should not he then change his ways and begin to serve him the rest of his life? What is the point in giving an extension if he is going to continue his old ways of living his desires? Should not he now fulfill the desires of God? Should not he spend the rest of his days and every moment doing God's work?
When God intervenes in our lives our horoscope and life predictions change for good. For those destined to do his work, these do not work. It is overruled. Know that if the predictions are not working in your favor that God wants you. It is time we turn our gaze on him for he has turned his gaze on us.
Much of what I write on these pages or posts of my blog is a reminder to me rather than advice to the readers. I see myself lacking in many areas too and hence these notes serve as a reminder to buck up or lose out.