Yesterday and today, I had to attend two funeral services. The funerals were of the parents of two brothers who were companions to me for ten years in the same class during my training. Yesterday, the mother of the senior in the class (she was 91) and today, the father of another companion (he was 103). Both of their spouses are still alive.

Yesterday, a former Chief Minister of Kerala also passed away: Name was V.S. Achuthanandan (aged 102), who was just known by his initials.

At the beginning of the funeral service in the rite, a passage from one of the Psalm (39) gets recited:

"In my sighing a fire blazes up,

and I break into speech:

Lord let me know my end,

the number of my days,

that I may learn how frail I am.

To be sure, you establish the expanse of my days;

indeed, my life is as nothing before you.

Everyone is but a breath.

Man goes about as a mere phantom;

they hurry about, although in vain;

he heaps up stores, without knowing for whom.

And now O Lord, for what do I wait?

You are my only hope!"

(4-7)

Many psalms are like that. They remind us of the brevity, fleetingness and fragility of life. Also deepens a sense of dependence on God.

For whom is all this? Wealth that are collected without any certainty as to who will have it!

Thousands, perhaps even lakhs, participate in each funeral service and each farewell journey!

Yet the shortness of days, the brevity of shadows, the transience of life, and the uncertainty of the stored up wealth do not enter the awareness level of most people!

There is a famous question and answer to it in the Mahabharata!

"What is the most surprising thing?"

"Everyone thinking that they will live forever even when they see others fall down dead!" is the answer!