The Inseparable Companions
Wherever we are, and in whichever direction we look, we feel “it” surrounding us. Its shadow hovers above every landscape. Its soul lingers around every move and every action. Its name is bound to every being since its birth.
“It” is not invited to any party, but “it” is present in most of them. “It” always arrives alone and rarely departs unaccompanied. “It” likes coming unannounced, “it” unites people as “it” stays, and separates them when “it” leaves. “It” has a special fascination and a unique presence. Its authority is matched only by the fear “it” puts in the hearts of its hosts. “It” strikes with violence sometimes and caresses gently other times.
Many inventions were made to fight “it” and even more to deliver “it”.
“It” has its followers and worshipers. Its soldiers are many, some are weak and coward and others are strong and ruthless. Their loyalty is boundless, they give “it” without counting, and “it” takes without thanking.
Youth runs to “it” heedlessly and without “it” the world would age and suffocate. Its love to our souls is as big as its despise to our bodies. “It” has no existence without us and we cannot escape from its attraction.
The idiots ignore “it”, the masses fear “it”, the smartasses philosophize about “it” and the believers despise “it”. And, in its turn, “it” mocks every single one of them and us. “It” is as eternal as life! “It” is evidently Death!
Death has a devoted and loyal companion: time!
The passing time and the awaiting death are inseparable. Wherever we go, and whatever we say or do, they are always together and close by. The passing time provides the opportune moment and the awaiting death seizes it.
The passing time and the awaiting death are two fundamental components in defining the way we must live our life. They are a daily reminder of our inevitable end and its unknown date of occurrence.
This reminder is the strongest motivation to live fully, to stare at the tangible present, to wrap our arms around it, to embrace it with all our strengths, and to squeeze all its content with passion and determination.
Probably this way of thinking is discomforting for many people, as it alters their tranquility and disturbs their steady sliding, with the passing time, towards their awaiting death. If we are not one of those, and if we ever wanted to participate in and contribute to the strength and beauty of life, even just a little, then this way of thinking is the only way.
The choice is ours. While making this choice we should remember a lifelong forgotten truth: with the passing time, the awaiting death will surely interfere in our lives and put in our hearts an eternal longing for people who embellished our days; with the passing time, this agent that stirs the sadness in people souls will sneak into our homes and stir the sadness in our souls; with the passing time, the awaiting death will end up finding our houses and will steal away the life of people we cherish and love. Therefore, let us emerge from our slumber, stop our subdued and oblivious march towards our certain and obvious end, and let us enjoy every moment with the people we will later miss.
Away a life during which we forget to live! And to us all the beauty and the joy that life has to give, before the passing time delivers us to the awaiting death.