“Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”
— Steve Jobs
Kabir – The couplet
माली आवत देख के, कलियाँ करें पुकार।
फूल-फूल चुन लिए, काल हमारी बार॥
transliterated:
Māli āvat dekh ke, kaliyān kare pukār |
Phool phool chun liye, kāl hamārī bār ||
Translation:
Seeing the gardener (maali) coming, the buds (kaliyaan) cry out |
The flowers have been plucked; now it is our turn to die ||
My understanding:
Both Kabir and Jobs, separated by centuries and cultures, arrive at the same piercing truth: Death is not an if, but a when. The gardener is always approaching. Yet this is not a message of fear, but of fierce urgency — and liberation.
Death does not wait for anyone. But that does not mean we wait for death. Life isn’t a countdown to the end — it’s a countdown to meaning. We mustn’t squander time imagining what comes after, for death is not an end, but a beginning we cannot yet comprehend. What we do know is this: we are alive now. This moment is ours.
In this fragile space between birth and death, we are called to a delicate balance — to care for the soul, and yet tend to the demands of the material world. To maximize every moment, not just for personal gain, but to contribute value to the world and deepen our inner journey. The question is not “when will I be plucked?” but “how will I bloom while I am here?”
So bloom brightly. Love deeply. Create boldly. Serve generously. And remember: awareness of death is not the end of joy — it is the beginning of purpose.