It takes a life to learn

Here you are, a new blank document asking me to be brave and pour on you. Hope we get along well together. It isn’t easy being a human. The universe is vast but there is only one place called Earth that can keep us going and even life here is pretty hostile. In this lonely planet, we live on land and breathe oxygen. And we will be in great trouble if we leave the surface and dive into the deep ocean or climb the tallest mountains without proper care. Under hot temperatures we wilt and under cold temperatures we are helpless. Microbes cause infectious and deadly diseases. A person who’s in perfect health at dawn can be dead by dusk and become a fossil if nature allows. We fly in the face of these frailties by availing clothing, shelter, and medicines. It’s indeed a miracle that we have all evolved to suit the conditions. But there’s a great deal we don’t know.

It takes a life to learn how to live. Often in life we can’t wait to get going, but then having got going, we are always in a hurry. Ralph Waldo Emerson says, “We are always getting ready to live but never living”. We are afraid of being stagnant, being trapped, and not being good enough at work or in our relationships. And so we rush. I perceive, rushing takes the fun out of life. Learning to live in the here and now is imperative to live a fuller life. When you read a book, get lost in it to enjoy it. When you eat, savour your food. When you’re with a loved one, be with them fully heart and soul. When you’re walking, enjoy your atmosphere. The Earth’s atmosphere keeps us hale and hearty. It shields us by absorbing invisible rays from above such as the UV rays and cosmic rays that could actually slice us into bits. Nature is quite wonderful. Isn’t it? So I’ve learnt that life is better when unrushed, given the fleeting nature of it.

It takes a life to learn how to live alone. Ever wonder, why you feel alone in a crowded room? We earthly beings are social by nature. In truth, solitude can be part of every sensitive and high brow human. But that’s okay. Because we are products of different families and experiences, the thoughts between humans are often at loggerheads. It’s really comical every so often. Finding a kindred-spirit who reflects your soul is out of the ordinary. If you ask me what are the odds, I would quote the line “The odds are good but the goods are odd.” Solitude can get you creative. Shakespeare wrote “I myself am best when least in company”. I think being alone is better than suffering the blight of false company. So as we try to flourish in solitude, it is a fact that no human can survive extreme solitude. Loneliness is universal. I am writing this blog by myself and you are reading it. We are together in a way though not linear in time. A person’s life at every point revolves around intimate attachments to fellow beings. And it gives meaning to life. So call up a friend and make dinner plans.

It takes a life to learn how to love. If love is so natural, why is it so difficult to love? Aye! The bliss and agony of love. C.S. Lewis wrote “To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.” We need to learn to give and receive love. Love offers care instead of harshness, affection instead of indifference, friendship instead of uncertainty, and closeness instead of alienation. Love yourselves and direct your loving hearts outwards too. The more two humans know each other, the greater the bonds of love advances. Despair not. Love can be learnt, felt, and shared.

So why do we know as little as we do? It’s because the world is really a big place. The ease of travel and technology makes us think otherwise, But in reality, it is enormous and full of surprises. Tracking life might be frustrating and appalling but it can just as well be viewed as exciting. However, life wants to be, from time to time life doesn’t want much, so goes into hibernation. Yet, life goes on.