“It takes the whole of life to learn how to live, and -what will perhaps make you wonder more – it takes the whole of life to learn how to die.” – Seneca.
I hope I can write again regularly in honour of this beautiful life. A recent loss was a wake-up call on the time slipping away quietly like a thief. It’s strange how we are never ready to let go of people. Each loss feels like grief reborn. It doesn’t feel any different, but the time to spring back to a routine gets shorter.
It’s somewhat like summer out here. The warmth of the sun breathes in life to flora and fauna. The busy lives of bees, flies and insects are more visible these days. I relish my daily walks as I discover something new each day. I conclude my walk by stopping by a walkway arching into a busy river.
If you stay in parts where sunlight feels like a precious gift, you cannot help but notice the energy surge during such days. The past Sunday was a beautiful English summer day. I happened to stop by the walkway as always. I saw a beautiful blue fly busily hopping across the river. The sight was truly mesmerising. I watched it go about its routine for some time. The next day, I was eager to go and find out if it still was around. Well, to my joy, there were two of them. I spent a good 20 minutes watching them. And thus, it became a joy for the entire week. In my last sighting, there were four of them. But yesterday, there were none. I found out those were damselflies and commonly seen near weeded streams. Their average life span hovers around a week, but a few survive for 6-8 weeks.
As I grappled with losing my younger brother’s best friend, who was family for us, the loss of the damselflies was like nature’s metaphor thrown at me. I wouldn’t have noticed those beautiful flies if I had not stopped to look at the river. While we are making plans, life is making plans for our grand exit. To be able to live in the moment may sound cliched, but it might be the way to truly live fully. Those damsel flies faded into nature, living each moment of their short life. The logical brain wants me to debate myself as it is easier said than done. But I conceit defeat for today. I hope all of us dance our way out with joy and happiness as we exit the grand stage of life. I leave you with these beautiful damselflies living out their good life.
If this stayed with you, write back. I respond to every letter. ireenejkarthik@proton.me
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