Preparing for death

When a man is born, death is inevitable. .Birth is an accident but death is a certainty. As every day passes in a man’s life, the distance to death is correspondingly reduced. The inexorable march of time will bring the cold hands of death at his door at the appointed time. Not all the advances of medical science can defer the date with destiny by a second.It is a standing wonder despite this knowledge man is oblivious to this reality. He is busily engaged in acquiring wealth and is after sensory pleasures as if he were permanent in this planet. He works to buy a house and once done proceeds to get one more, A business man is not satisfied with one business; he dreams of a business empire and spends all his time and energy. At another level people are after sensory pleasures and devote their full time in their pursuit.

As long as people are young and in good health, death is no where visible in their horizon.It is only when death claims the life of someone close in the family or when the man himself falls seriously sick, there is the fear of death appearing. Even the death of near and dear would not affect as much unless, he himself stares at death waiting for him. All his dreams of acquisition give way to panic and the fear of the unknown overtakes him. His life had been totally unprepared for death. He had not done anything to invest for life after death. He had been self-centred working for his goals. The ‘others’ were never in his radar. He had not devoted any time or money for service to others, the needy, the sick and the downtrodden. He had not invested in good deeds that would have prepared him mentally for spiritual progress and to face death.. Greed and selfishness are the major hurdles in spiritual path.Spiritual enlightenment are not acquired on death bed. It is only fear of death that envelops his mind.
The good people and the sages who have spent their life time for the needy took light of death as it appeared. It was deliverance for them from bondage while for the ordinary man it is a penalty for his wasted life. The former welcomes death in a cool and collected manner while the latter cries in fear and clutches the hands of the near and dear. The moral is always to evaluate the progress in life against the backdrop of death.Mid-course corrections for the deviations made from a virtuous and helpful life is a must as and when death takes place in the family or friends circle. An appraisal needs to be made whether we are ready to face the death and answer the creator of the noble deeds we have accomplished in our life time. We should be reminding ourselves daily with the quote “I expect to pass through this world but once. If therefore there be any kindness I can do for my fellow beings, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”