Life and ends

Here’s a thought experiment. Imagine a straight line from left to right and that this straight line constitutes your entire life from birth to death. Now put an estimate number (years) on the right tip of the line indicating the end of your life. And if you’re like most of us, your current station in life would somewhere around 2/3rds or 3/4rds on that line.

Now, hold that image in your memory bank and keep it tucked away neatly and the next time when you are faced with problems that seem insurmountable, dig out this image and give it some thought that whatever and however big your problem is, it will pass or fade away in the course of your whole life.

Yes, there will be problems that come and they seem like it’s the “end of the rope” and many too that may drive you to the brink of “ending it all”. And when those times come, take a step back and look at the whole picture. While you may feel like there’s no use carrying on with life, know this… your life is meant to be spent out in its entirety, not in the dwelling of those moments of despair.

However bad it gets, just look towards the line not travelled on and well, tell yourself that you’re not going to be on this stretch of life anytime after the end and that it’s just one life to live. However good or bad, it’s still one life and that the experience of it all… the hardships, the pains and the moments of respite are what gives this very life its meaning. Maybe not purpose, but significance. So, however hard or painful it gets, let’s just give ourselves the chance to live our lives out in full, regardless of this moment’s pain and suffering.

And then there are times when it feels like there’s just no point in continuing on this line and that all hope is gone. Yes, we’ve had hopes and dreams crushed and vaporized countless times. The untimely and agonizing deaths of loved ones and the hollowness of being that is felt for years. Times when it seems to “make no difference” if there’s a God or not because living is like hell.

At times like that, take a step back… one life - good or bad, that’s secondary to the fact that we’re all endowed with this one life to live. Sometimes when we look at ourselves as a “third party observer”, problems may dissipate and our vision of life becomes relative instead of languishing on the boilerplate. And then there’ll be moments when we just say “I give up… God, you take over ‘cause I’m done trying”. It is at those times that a quiet whisper or a light breeze flows… and God comes.