Psalm of life

At every stage of age, life seems different. It is truly said that life is full of mystery, unfold it. We all are travellers and life's a journey. It gives all kind of experience and learning.

But we may pass it in eat, drink and be merry. We don’t tend to think beyond it. We live as all live, mere a monotonous life. Once socrates said, “I would be a dissatisfied Socrates than to be a satisfied pig.” We all are fallen in typical usual life. Nothing new, nothing special, nothing different, nothing ambitious. Just passing life.

In childhood, I studied one rhyme, “Solomon Grundy, Born on a Monday, Christened on Tuesday, Married on Wednesday, Took ill on Thursday, Grew worse on Friday, Died on Saturday, Buried on Sunday, That was the end, Of Solomon Grundy. It describes our tenure of life.

Main is, when we live a life in a unique way. If inner fire is cold, the man is not alive. Let us try to ignite the inner fire. Let us think in distinctive way. Let us understand the life in real way. Here is a well known poem by Henry Longfellow. It’s psalm of life. It describes the life in indifferent way. It deepens the understanding of life.

Do not moan, “Life is an empty dream! What we wish doesn’t come to reality!” Life is full of arena and radiance. Being graved is not the goal. Neither pleasure nor sorrow is end, improvement and advancement is meaningful.

Life is long and time is fleeting. Death is continually eating us. Don’t be a dumb cattle but be a hero in the strife. Don’t rely on the future and bury the past. Act in the present by keeping God in mind and heart.  

Lives of great men remind us that we can also sublime our lives. After sublimation, when any shipwrecked brother see the footprints, he will have heart again to sail on. Come what may; let us up and act. Pursue and achieve, lean to work hard and wait for the fruits.   

Here is a psalm of life:

Tell me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream!
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.

Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each to-morrow
Find us farther than to-day.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world’s broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!

Trust no Future, howe’er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act,— act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o’er head!

Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time;

Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o’er life’s solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.

~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The nuance of the poem:

Don't cry and say that life is nothing but an empty dream. Such souls are dead and passive. They are not living; they are just sleeping. They always mourn that things are not as they have wished. If any good happens, they find faults with it. They grumble and grieve. They can’t enjoy life at fullest.

Grave is not the goal. Don't live as we are not dying. Have a optimistic will to live. Life begins from dust and returns to dust. But this is not the expression of soul. Soul is imperishable and indestructible. Body vanishes but spirit does not dissolve. Spirit is eternal, infinite and immortal. It is limitless and endless.  

Neither happiness nor sadness, is our destined end or way of life. No situation remains same. We have to move on. We have to pass through. So we should act in present in such a way that each tomorrow will find us farther than today. We should move one step ahead. Learn and explore new things.

Life is long and time is fleeing. Actually we are losing valuable moments of life day by day. Our heart is beating like muffled drums, though it is strong and brave. It seems to be our funeral, going towards cremation. Every moment, we are decaying. Death is continual. So don’t waste time but spend it wisely.

This world is battlefield and we are warroriers. Life is like encampment. Life is too short and temporary. In the midst of battlefield don't be driven like a dumb cattle. Be a hero in struggle and strife. Put forth to fight and rest leave up to God.

Future may seem pleasant but we can not rely on it. Past is already passed away so let it be buried. Only we have in hand is our present. We can take care of it. We can change or mould it in the way we want. So act wisely in present. Action should be done with whole heart and love towards God.

Lives of great men remind us that we can sublimate our selves. We are the creator of our destiny. So it is in our hand to upgrade or degrade. Great persons who make their lives great by their own efforts, when they depart us, they leave footprints on the sands of time.

In the sails of life, our ship may be wracked. In such miserable condition, anyone sees those footprints, he will have the heart again. He will be filled with hope, courage and confidence to face odds in the stormy sea.   

Let us emerge and act with a heart to face whatever happens. Whatever the destiny will offer us, let us accept with broad mind, large heart and smiling face. Pursue and achieve, attain and accomplish. Everything takes its own time. So learn to work hard and to wait for ripen fruits.

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Life is not a curse. Life is not a trouble. Life is not a chaos. Never perceive life in a negative way. It’s our outlook that makes us feel a mess or a turmoil. Through what eye I see; world is alike. Life is precious gift of God and what we make out of it is our gift to God. Let us understand the life in real sense and make it meaningful. Wishing all a wonderful life.