I have met numerous noble and selfless individuals in this fifty some years of my life; those who don’t pretend to be anything or anyone other than their authentic selves. They are easy to spot in the crowd because their truth radiates from within. This week, our family lost such a person to Covid. Though my father’s side of the family and I feel a colossal void in our hearts from this loss; I, feel blessed to have met such a precious, humble, and kindhearted human being in my lifetime. I also know, people like him who drop their bodies earlier than their peers; usually have a mission. A mission to leave a massive legacy for those around them.
I don’t want to turn this note into a memorial for our amazing departed. But I do want to focus on those who are left behind. I believe, it takes courage to carry on, after living with someone for so long, especially if they were angelic. I read in a Buddhism book by Sofan Chan that “courage is a spiritual strength that takes you beyond all fear and resistance, it gives you the insight to understand that external difficulties are merely the reflection of your unresolved internal resistance, and the knowledge that you have the inner fortitude to remove internal and external blockages on the path”.
As some of you know, I am far from being an empiricist (empiricists believe that we derive all knowledge of the world from what our five senses tell us). I believe we live in a universe of phenomenon, a world made of layers of diverse senses, that our imaginations can’t even phantom. To be willing to explore the unknown and not fall into the trap of conformity takes courage. The truth is far from what our five senses tell us. Just because we no longer see the body of an angel on earth, does not mean he is no longer present. To me, death and dying means a change in form. The truth that I want to share here is that we all are in essence eternal. (M.S. Irani)
To be able to see this truth, and not fall for what organized religions try to herd us towards takes courage. I respect my dear cousin who at such a young age, lost her angelic husband this week. I salute her because; to me, she is the symbol of courage. Her bravery to carry on during his covid illness and even after he dropped his body, makes me think, perhaps the torch has been passed on to her. The torch that they both carried thus far on dedicating their lives to rendering service to the mankind. I know her husband is resting in peace, as he left the torch with capable hands, knowing my beautiful cousin, I can see her carrying it (the torch), with much pride and hope, to the finish line.
