The old man clears weeds from his grave and spend lots of time lying in it. Being a member of a religious caste who bury their dead rather than the normal funeral pyre, the man dug his own grave close to his wife's and waits patiently for death to claim him. So far it has ignored his plight.
This is a touching story, a love story, a story which suggests that humans, on occasion, are capable of great idealism, selflessness and sacrifice! If we could graft some of the mourner's genes onto every human our world perhaps devotion and loyalty might become more commonplace.
Perhaps!
6 comments:
and we'd all live to be 100. i wouldn't trade places with him- i cannot imagine his grief and that feeling of circling the drain- waiting and waiting to go down. i hear what you're saying about love and devotion- but that wasn't what first leapt to my mind.
Betmo, it's interesting to hear your reaction especially in light of the comment by Worried.
You wrote a wonderful tribute to a wonderful person, Worried. It was very moving! Thanks.
Yes, I would agree with Betmo...I worry that we bring back the dying for our own selfish reasons rather than seeing life through the eyes of the bereft person. I cannot imagine living on without my life partner in spite of children and grandchildren...it is not the same kind of love and sharing that occurs between two people who have shared a life time of joys and sorrows....I would have let that grandmother die with my blessings...Her love for Charlie was calling her to another place that we couldn't begin to understand based on her faith system...She had more to move forward to, than to stay and linger here, according to what she wanted for herself...I really do believe that people choose their time to die and they should be allowed to so...Their choice, not ours...if we love them...we'll let them go!!!!
and with peace and serenity - none of this, if you love us, you'll stay!....That just adds to their grieving period for their departed loved one waiting for them on the other side...Making them choose!!.
I personally don't believe in an afterlife for myself but I do appreciate that others feel differently...
"Worried" got their wish, but at what cost to the loving grandmother who deserved what she so desperately wanted...to be with Charlie.....
Our values are not necessarily those shared by the other person.
Mary Walsh
Thats very sad Daniel. Love suicides are not uncommon in India. A lot of stupid young people get influenced by stupid Bollywood movies. I have personally come across atleast one such case.
Anyway, I tried looking for the report and couldn't find it. Could you post the link.
Great to hear from you, D.P. Sorry, I don't have that link.
Mary, your point is taken. It's an interesting situation balancing our responsibility to ourselves with our responsibility to those we love. It's a catch 22 scene quite often!
Never have I known of such love and devotion as that of my Grandmother. Never will there be another to fill her shoes.
This will veer somewhat off-topic, but...
I have very similar feelings toward my own--my only--grandmother, but for a very different reason. You see mine outlived my grandfather by over 15 years. As the youngest daughter in her family, by decades, she outlived her siblings. She outlived her friends. In short, she outlived an entire generation, and yet she was entirely devoted to the very small and dwindling family that we've become. When she finally passed away, it was as if a light had gone out.
As worried said, there will never be another like her.
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