A boy in a
south Indian village wanted to make an aquarium at home. He cleaned a
wide-mouthed glass jar and layered some washed sand and gravel into it. He also
planted some aquatic plants in it. He filled it with water and went to the stream
near his residence. Using a coarse towel he collected a few small fishes from
the stream and transferred them to his jar. He maintained and fed the animals
with care and affection. He spent a lot of time watching the graceful movements
of the animals swimming by the lateral undulation of their large and flattened
tail.
A few days later, he observed tiny outgrowths
on either side of the animals. They grew like legs. Later an additional pair of
projections appeared which grew like hands. Later the long tail shortened and
appeared like little stubs. The boy was filled with wonder and sought the
opinion of his father about the unusual changes in his pet fish.
The father explained to him that the animals
he collected were not small fishes but small tadpoles in the larval stage in
the life cycle of a frog. He explained the appearance of legs and hands and the
disappearance of the tail as the visible signs of metamorphosis. Soon the
froglets reached full maturity and jumped out of the jar. The boy watched with wonder how his pets
jumped away in search of a new land. His father consoled him and used the
occasion to tell him about the inevitable end of human life. “We too will die
one day and move away with a transformed body from this world to our real abode
in heaven to meet our creator, the loving God.”
Life after death is a
reality. In the heaven of happiness reserved for the righteous, we will meet
our loving Lord who created us to be with Him forever. It reminds us that we have only a limited time
on earth in the joyous journey to heaven. God guides us throughout this travel
through His teachings in the Holy Scriptures. If we proceed with a firm faith
in God, we can overcome difficult situations and make this journey of life
joyful and fruitful.
King
Philip of Macedonia had appointed a servant in his palace, with the duty to
meet him every morning and greet him with the words, “Philip, remember that you
must die.”
'Death' is the Damocles' sword
for all mortals. Death often appears unexpectedly. At every moment of
life, we must be prepared for this impending end. Life is short and all worldly
riches and luxury have to be left behind when we die. They give only a
temporary joy. Sinful indulgence in worldly pleasures may lead to everlasting
agony in a hell of horror.
It
is said that when we are born, we cry and the people around us rejoice. When we
die, people cry, and, if we are saved, we rejoice! Calvin Miller said, “Death
is but a temporary inconvenience that separates our smaller living from our
greater being.” Sir Walter Scott said, “Is death the last sleep? No, it is
the final awakening.”
At his
deathbed, Alexander the Great instructed his close associates to leave his
hands hanging free on either side of the coffin during his royal funeral
procession. That was to teach the world that he could carry nothing with him on
his final journey.
Man’s way leads to a hopeless end while God’s way
leads to an endless hope. Let us plan ahead for the unavoidable departure from
this world. Death is the universal equalizer. Everyone is
equal before death as death comes to all - great and small. ……………………………………………………………..
©
By: Prof. Dr. Babu Philip, Darsana Academy,
Kottayam-686001, Kerala, India ( Former Professor, Cochin University of Science
& Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India), Prof.
Mrs. Rajamma Babu, Former Professor, St. Dominic's
College, Kanjirappally, Leo. S. John, St. Antony's
Public School, Anakkal, Kanjirappally and Neil John, Maniparambil, Ooriyakunnath, Kunnumbhagom, Kanjirappally,
Kottayam-686507, Kerala, India.
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