Hang On

(Loosely translated from a Sikh fable)

The disciple asked the Guru: O Wise One, how do I enjoy life to the fullest?

The Guru opened his eyes and smiled: Let me ask you a question. How long do you believe you have before you die?

The disciple, a young man in his early twenties, replied: Two, or three, decades at least.

The Guru offered: Try something shorter.

Then the Guru closed his eyes. The disciple pondered the Guru's suggestion, and said: A few years, at least.

The Guru repeated: Try something shorter.

A few months?

Shorter.

Days?

Shorter.

The disciple was worried. Did the Guru know his fate?

Hours?

Shorter.

Minutes, perhaps?

The Guru opened his eyes and said: My child, there is no guarantee that we may exhale the last breath just inhaled. We all hang by a thread.

This made the disciple sad and he asked, almost in a whisper: Does this mean there is no meaning to life? How can one enjoy Life if we're always in the shadow of Death.

The Guru laughed for the first time and replied: On the contrary, this should make you always be present in the moment, and enjoy every breath to its fullest.