The Brave Pedestrian

Preface:  I could quote scripture at many points in support of what I’m about to say, but I’m not going to. Why? Because deriving authority by quoting “holy books” is an effort to prevent people from arguing with you; I think it’s unfair.  I believe we’re never really comfortable until we have figured out, and put to rest, the riddle of our own mortality, which we experience like this: In our heads, we know that any one of us can die at any moment, ie. we are mortal. But in our heart of hearts, each of us thinks: it can’t happen to me ie. I am immortal. Each of us deals with this riddle or paradox in different ways. A few of us do it by never thinking about it, as though it’s unimportant or irrelevant. Many of us like to take on faith the views of death offered by our own religions, or other religions, or by a guru like Rajneesh. A few may modify these given views in little ways to suit their personal beliefs. I for one have dealt with the paradox...

Often, walking home amidst traffic, I think about how fragile life is and how mortal we are. How easy it is for any moment to be the last. And how infinitely precious that moment will be. And so, in that context, this is my prayer: When the moment comes for my lifeblood to ebb away, I don’t want any unfinished goodbyes, regrets, unsaid apologies, anxiety, anger, clinging, weeping. I don’t want to see tears or shed them, or even to see the faces of near-and-dear ones. No final farewell, no famous last words. I hope to have lived in such a way that all my love has been given, and all love from others has been accepted, so that there is nothing more left to give or receive from anybody in this world. As the lights dim, I want my last thoughts to be of love and contentment, and serenity. I want to be literally able to kiss the earth with my lips and fingers — feel the soil, gravel, grass, pavement, whatever… and say goodbye. Maybe some wet doggy noses, or some cat...