Sunday, August 14, 2005

The Good Times and Bad Times

My dear sister passed away just over 5 weeks ago. She had cancer. She was diagnosed in late October 2004. She fought this illness for less than 9 months. Today, I heard that my friend's father passed away. He had cancer too. Simple words cannot express the grief I felt for them, and neither did I have the courage or strength to talk to them. My emotions got the better of me, which came flooding back like a storm on a calm night. One thing I learnt recently from Rameshbhai Oza's recent katha pravachan in Birmingham, UK is that if I am unable to console myself, how will I console someone else?

My reason for writing this - don't keep focusing on the last few months of the loved one's life! They had more in their life than the illness they went through! Focus on the happier times.

This message is not only for those who have lost a loved one through death, but also those people who have had a falling out for whatever reason. Think about those people who you may have lost touch with, had a falling out. Try and remember the good times. Don't get stuck in a rut and keep focusing on the bad times you may have had. If you focus on the bad times, all that is happening is that you are not forgiving. If you do not forgive, you are not letting go. If you do not let go, you will not move forward. If you cannot move forward, you will not be able to accept the valuable lessons learnt. Just be thankful for the experience and lesson(s) you have learnt. I truly believe that things happen for a reason. If you are spiritually focused, you will come to see and understand this.


"We are all merely pawns in each others lives within this magnificent and wonderful game of chess played by God."
(Dipa, August 14 2005)

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