Woke up today in a somewhat reflective frame of mind. In a pensive mood going over the years that have silently passed by. And it suddenly dawned on me that I am not getting any younger. For that matter, none of us is. One is apt to forget this simple fact about Life in the constant attempt to be heard over the din generated by today’s social media.

Life. It is a gift to be accepted. An adventure to be enjoyed, wholly and without questions. A mystery that is only to be wondered at and experienced. Marvel at its imperfections, smile at its oddities, or simply look at its myriad faces. Indulge in whatever takes your fancy, but do not be a mere bystander.

Make no mistake however. We do not profess living the ‘life giddy’ and spending the days in a whirlwind of activities. Quite the contrary in fact. Life, you see, unravels itself before those who dare to contemplate, ponder on its dualities, and think about its essentially Janus-faced nature. Lord Buddha had touched upon it when he observed centuries ago that life “is too ironic [because] it takes sadness to know what happiness is, noise to appreciate silence, and absence to value presence”.

Since time immemorial, poets, philosophers and scientists have struggled to make some sense of Life. In the process they have written classics and seminal works in their chosen fields. But none has found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Frustratingly enough, Life has eluded any simplistic explanation. If such learned and revered personalities have failed in their quest, what hope is there for us simple folk?

None, really. Today, all that I can say is

Let go. Draw up your own bucket list and before you ride into the sunset, ensure that all the boxes have been ticked. You will find that the best things in life are free to experience.

Why do we ‘look before and after and pine for what is not’ ? Ah, dear readers, that is a mystery, second only to Life itself.