What Have You Missed in Life?
How often do we pause and ask ourselves what we are missing in life? In an ideal world, everyone would do this once in a while, so that there are no future regrets. But unfortunately, the reality we live in is far from ideal, especially as time ticks away before our very eyes. In fact, we rarely find the time to ponder over them, nor do we have time to give some well-deserved love and attention to the people who are dearest to us — whether they’re a spouse, relative, friend or someone we once knew. The following example will urge us to stop and think about our short, fast lives…
A wife made a habit of asking her husband this question: “What did you miss in life?”
When she was 25, he replied despondently: “I missed a job opportunity.”
When she was 35, the husband angrily told her: “I’ve just missed the bus.”
At 45, the husband sadly said: “I missed the opportunity of seeing my close relative before his last breath.”
At 55, the husband said, disappointingly: “I missed a good chance to retire.”
At 65, the husband hurriedly replied: “I missed a dental appointment.”
At 75, the wife didn’t ask anymore. Instead the husband was sitting beside his sick wife, remembering the question she always asked him. This time he asked his wife: “What did you miss in this life?”
And the wife, with a smile and a peaceful look answered: “I did not miss having you in this life.”
The husband was in tears. He always thought that they would be there for a long time. He was so tied up with work and trifles, that he had never been as thoughtful as his wife deserved.
“Sometimes it’s better to put love into hugs than to put it into words.” — Author Unknown
He embraced her tightly and said: “For over 50 years how I have allowed myself to miss out on your deep love for me?”
“You have no idea how much pain you have felt until you look in to the eyes of the one you love and you see nothing…nothing but the glare of light.” — Tamara Calvin
This a familiar kind of story for most of us who live in modern times.
Sometimes, without us realizing, our lives tend to revolve around our jobs. We sacrifice all our time and health to meet social expectations. We are unwilling to spend time on health care.
We miss the opportunity to be with our children while they are growing up.
We neglect the loved ones who cares for us, as well as their health.
“Neglect is a form of abuse. Neglect your finances; abuse your money. Neglect your body; abuse your health. Neglect giving affection; abuse your emotional spirit.” — Lisa Maricle
No one knows what will happen a year from now.
“Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment, and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next. Delicious ambiguity.” — Gilda Radner
Life is impermanent, so always live in the present moment.
We need to express gratitude to our loved ones in words, and more importantly in action. We need to show our care in actions.
“Much unhappiness has come into this world because of things left unsaid.” — Author Unknown
The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone. — Harriet Beecher Stone
Vimalchand Shrishrimal
Respected Swamiji,
Hari om,
Excellent Article- an eye opener.
Regards
Kapil
Hari Aum Swami-Ji,
Thanks for sharing!!!
Kind regards
Gaurav
Hari Om Swami!
Learning from the article, I will not miss this time, this day to thank you for all the good words you bring to us. Your words bring a new wave of thoughts within us. These thoughts helps us to take discretionary actions. Repeating these thought based actions makes it our habit to behave in cool, calm and happy way. This then becomes our character, our personality.
Thank you for making us truly Happy.
Pranaam
Karan makharia
According to the teachings in this article, I don’t want to miss saying this in life to you, so “Thank you for always being here with us and guiding us on the right path. I have realized that constant reminder of the different aspects of art of living and spirituality are really important as we keep forgetting them in our material life. Glad to have you with us.”
Ashish Kumar Sengupta
Wonderful. We should not miss out the Present moments of Life by dwelling on Sorrows of Past or Worries of Future.
Rest is upto the individual. Hari Om!
nimish
What a powerful reminder through this beautiful story.
Thank you for sharing Swami-ji
Chitti Babu
Guruji’s article mirrors the lives of 95% of people who go to college without knowing why, settle down in a job they don’t like, marry because everybody marries, beget children else face the society’s ire, work till retirement for the income, begin to dabble with spirituality at age 65, count the years ruminating why children ignore… There is no stopping and thinking ‘What was I made for? What is the purpose of my life?’
All that most people miss is a house or a bigger house or even a bigger house or a bigger house than that of my brother-in-law…the same with the car! Until one day very late in life, they realise they missed life itself, they missed the little joys of life, they missed listening to the innocent laughter of their child, they missed bringing a smile on the face of a total stranger by offering a little unexpected help…
Well, if Guruji’s efforts can make even a few stop on the track, take stock of the life-situation and introspect, it would be a lovely day! May we continue to be guided by the master in all aspects of life!
Madhu Sengupta
Hari Om Swamiji,
Thank you for making me pause. Life is slipping by so fast that we have hardly time to pause and think for ourselves and for those who are near and dear to us.
Madhu
Mubareka
This is one of the messages which is very appropriate for today’s life. It would have been such a bliss if each one of us would have understood its importance.