Friday 13 July 2012

This and that AND that and this

Existential questions strike you at in-consequent times like when you are in an auto-rickshaw and when the auto stops at a signal, a procession carrying a dead body passes by and all of a sudden you think, "What is the purpose of my life on this earth? Why am I here?" One wonders about Buddha and his similar experience of passing by a dead body. The signal changes colour and the auto moves on but the question still lingers on in your mind.

Then suddenly like a flash of lightening, a smart guy passes by the auto, peers into the auto, gives a brilliant smile and rides away. The smile is returned. Where the existential question goes, you wonder. All that remains is the smile and the twinkle of the smart guy's eyes.

The auto reaches the destination and the friends wave at you. The question as well as the smile is forgotten. When friends meet, memories are always kindled. A different set of thoughts replace the former ones. I realise that life is made up of such cycles -- thought replacing thought, emotions replacing emotions . . . everything is in a state of flux which combines the lived, the living and the going to be lived.

Even as I write this post, the actions that have been written down have become the past but the past that has been passed has been resurrected in the present and saved for the future.

Life goes on . . .

Image: Internet

28 comments:

  1. Excellent piece Susan....

    Regards,
    Megha
    http://megs-heartbeats.blogspot.com
    http://colorchalks.blogspot.com

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  2. My dear Susan, you have captured so well what we all must have thought about at some point in time...Just to share with you another thought, somewhat closer to the post...a few days ago, travelling by auto waiting at a traffic light a thought stuck me out of nowhere that this moment we are in, will soon be history and that led off to a series of thoughts on how we are a part of history in the making in fact witnessing it as it is made. Just as our grandparents are able to recall moments from their lifetime, both personal and global, we might too.And then we might also remember having had this conversation, we are now!! This seems so profound...
    Wow!!this is why I love coming here :) Thank you for a wonderful post again
    smiles and much love! take care...

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    1. I am glad to be answering this comment on your birthday. You are right when you say that every person has this question pop up in their minds at some point of their life.
      History in the making! Absolutely.

      Again I wish you a wonderful year ahead.

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  3. I really like your philosophical thoughts today. Life does go on. Guess we can only freeze moments in our memory.

    I'm told each moment is precious. I'm still learning that.

    Take care, and keep thinking Susan.

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    1. Myrna, thoughts as these cross my mind pretty often but it's only sometimes that I feel like posting them.

      Hope you are doing well and happy. How's Leroy doing?

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  4. That played out life a movie, Mrs Sus. I conjured up the imagery and pondered about your reflections. And after watching it in my mind, it has turned into a memory and would eventually melt into the noise of information in the internet.

    The world is indeed in a constant state of flux. Technology has even accelerated made the changes in fast-forward speed.

    Death itself has become a blip in the procession of our modern-day demands. There's barely time to process our loss before the traffic light of life turns green again. Until we ourselves become that blip, only then the cycle ends.

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    1. Quite a glowing and wonderful comment, Age. Yes, only when the cycle ends, a new cycle can begin.

      Seems that I am replying to comments after a very long time. Hope you are doing well.

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    2. Better late than never, Mrs. Sus. Hope you get your internet connection back - as in pronto! :)

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  5. Beautiful written. Such is life. We always think we will hold on to so much but as you write, seconds pass and it becomes just memories. I like the way you wrote this post. It is these small things that make up our lives after all.

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    1. Even as I am replying to this comment, I'm moving on to another frame of time.

      How wonderful to see you here, dear Colleen. May peace and joy always fill you.

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  6. Very very philosophical mam..

    yes the show must goes on is the motto.. god or bad , right or wrong life goes on always .. but its our actions in that time that makes one to stand out or stand in ...

    its the actions that makse sure people remember us once we go and do we leave a smile on there face or sorrow :)


    Open letter to all - Bikram's

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    1. Sometimes one needs to do this sort of a thing more openly, Bikram. I don't much care about people remembering me, all I want is to have no regrets on my death bed.

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  7. Most of us don't really have answers for these questions.. Best way to go about it is, not to think about it much :)

    Life goes on indeed!

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    1. Welcome ReneGadE. Glad to have your comments embellishing this post.

      Let us think and be aware -- that is what I would strive for.

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  8. Though the thoughts were replaced for the time being, it remained in your sub conscious mind...and when you sat to write down...it all came back... it happens... millions thoughts cross our mind, it is we who decides, which ones to store for future use, which ones to ignore forever!

    Happy thinking!

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    1. Hey Karan, hope your married life is on a roll. Hope life is great for you both.

      Quite right . . . the sub-conscious aids us and even a wee journal which records our thoughts ;)

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  9. I think you thinkuth to deeply. Thoughts running from one to the next often get in the way of even writing a simple bolg post. Staying on point is sometimes so hard.
    Your post reminded me of the scripture: "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." Eccleiasties 12:13

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    1. Thanks for coming by GQ. The wise man who wrote Ecclesiastes was a pessimist, I reckon. I respect him but somehow his views disturb me.

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  10. You know what? I've been thinking about this a lot recently. I mean, a LOT!

    The questions which you posted: "What is the purpose of my life on this earth? Why am I here?" keep popping in my head all the time, these days!

    I have no answer to these questions, though. Still searching...

    A thought provoking post, Susan :) I loved these lines especially: "the actions that have been written down have become the past but the past that has been passed has been resurrected in the present and saved for the future."

    Keep blogging :)

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    1. Sowmya, at such a young age, you are troubled by these sort of questions - Wow!! You must be a very deep thinker then.

      One thing, we might find no answers but then we must never stop reflecting.

      Hope the new year started off on a high note for you :)

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  11. Some thoughts replace another
    and a few smother some other
    some actions draw you away further
    and yet a few bounce hither and thither
    you get LIFE when you put all these together.

    I did peer into an auto and smile. Didn't realize it was you. :)

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    1. Ah, if I had recognised you, I would have let the auto go and jumped on to the pillion :)

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  12. Beautiful post. I feel very much the same, these small moments in every day, they might have a purpose. Sometime it is revealed, sometimes not, sometimes they are just a part of a puzzle that is life. But I still think and contemplate. To me that is life itself, the idea of questioning everything while we still savour and enjoy everything as well. Not holding all the answers is the allure.;)
    xoxo

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    1. Thanks Zuzana. How nice it is to read your comment. Allure, it is and we crave for more.

      Wishing you joy and love, always :)

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  13. So true! I've never thought about the process of thoughts coming and going, but that's precisely what happens to me too!

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