“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives,” says author Annie Dillard.

Goethe, meticulous about the passage of time reflects:  “Every second is of infinite value”  for one who captures it.

Seneca states that what we do each day figures the meaning of our life and calibrates the “relative” passage of time. He says, “ Life, if lived well, is long enough, ” and one can depart with a sense of contentment.

In his renown work, Divine Comedy, Dante vividly alludes to the consequences of our conduct in life, as to how they determine the quality of life after death, and pave the ground for the eternal state of the soul in its final abode.

Most of us know the preciousness of time and try to manage it in optimum ways so as to serve our goals and to accomplish whatever our pursuit is in life.  But still we live as if we are never going to die. For example, I find myself flipping into the mindset whereby I am tempted to push off the end of my time far away, at least not within near sight and I am easily convinced that I have ample time for this and for that. On the instant, I hear my pleasure-seeking ego imposing me “ get the most of the day, don’t think about tomorrow now, enjoy while you can, life is too short for all that hassle tassel, you think too much or why bother after all…don’t be stupid, just count the pleasures…seek to have more while you can…” In this illusory state, I may get swayed and end up spending a would-be-productive time interval of my day on unnecessary, valueless peddling which does not bring me one foot closer to my ultimate goal.

Even if I accept the fleeting, ephemeral nature of life on earth, I often find myself inclined to live as if I have infinite or countless numbers of hours and days. Overlooking the limited nature of time helps me to console the stress and the agony it puts on my psyche, which in turn easily settles me in my cheap bargain peddling.

Apart from dwelling in prolonging or shortcutting the “ subjective relativity of time ” there is also hope from science. The dream of finding the elixir of life since the ancient ages has now become the top research matter of advanced science. The quest of living longer is the aspiration of numerous people, perhaps more passionately than ever for the  highest amount of financial resources are now poured into the research of immortality. Yet most of the philosophers and savants in east and west argue that a never-ending life filled with fast fleeting pleasures and the ups and downs of humanly sufferings could be tiresome and relentless for our spirit. It is the very awareness of our impermanence that gives our lives meaning, hope and zest to do well, to do what is good around us and to do it in good time. Their argument is based on the fact that it is in human nature to leave “ good traces, and heart-warming memories ” behind and that is the kernel in attaining happiness which lasts.

Ostad Elahi (1895-1974), the influential thinker, jurist and musician reflects on the passage of time and how we prepare ourselves during our lifetime :

Our life in this world is akin to a single night spent in a lavish manor or a meager inn: no more should we lose ourselves and revel in the luxury of the manor than become disheartened by the austerity of the inn, for in either case we are merely overnight guests who will spend the rest of our lives in another abode that we would do well to prepare for now. What greater joy than to enter a home in which everything has been provisioned for us; miserable are those who depart this world with no home or provisions. [1]

Ostad Elahi emphasizes that life on earth provides an auspicious field to plant our seeds — the good deeds, good words and good thoughts — which are means to accumulate the spiritual provisions we need to bring with us to the other world. Only then we can assure a plentiful harvest, a home well prepared in advance, filled with joy, and where an eternal life awaits our soul.

The philosophy of Ostad Elahi does not exclude the material dimension of life neither imposes seclusion. On the contrary he suggests an active life in society, integrating work, socializing, taking care of the body and the spirit, eating well, and sparing time for leisure to nourish our psychological well-being but all the while keeping our ultimate goal in mind.

Everything that we engage in should benefit these four fundamental spheres: the material world, the hereafter, the physical body, and the soul. That is why we should avoid compromising our body, for example, like certain Hindu fakirs. These four spheres are on an equal plane, and it is our sound reason that must establish a balance between the interests of this world and the next, the body and the soul. If one were to solely pursue the hereafter and abandon family responsibility and worldly life, it would be wrong and contrary to sound reason. Likewise, it would be wrong to solely pursue the material world at the expense of the hereafter, or to seek both but to neglect the body. Similarly, it would defy sound reason to strengthen the body to the detriment of the soul, or to neglect the body and tend entirely to the soul. In short, establishing equilibrium among these four spheres leads to the formation of our sound reason, upon which our decisions should be based. [2]

For Ostad Elahi, the goal is to act in harmony with the virtues of a true human being and thereby set an example; and that is a true feast in today’s society.

Here is one such good example : someone in his late-forties, married, who is very active in work and who is efficiently managing his time. He is diligent in keeping his activities in each domain in harmony with his values insofar they serve his ultimate purpose in life one way or the other. He spends his time typically on these sub-categories :

• Work
• Timely updating files
• Family time
• Allocating regular time for healthy eats and sports
• Chores for the close ones like driving, arranging at home or office, assist in social gatherings, etc.
• Daily time for reading, music, natural meditation, etc. whichever is essential to his spiritual development.

Among his prominent characteristics and virtues are conscientiousness,  organization, will power, faith and his undivided attention which enable him to keep his goal in mind and to advance spiritually in parallel to his materialistic occupations.

Another example comes from a different stage of life: an elderly woman  who recently started to arrange the last part of her life with a remarkably realistic poise and maturity. She took measures to avoid possible financial hurdles, sorted out her inheritance, made the necessary legal arrangements, simplified her house and distributed her particular belongings to her close ones. Furthermore, she astonishingly completed the necessary procedures for her funeral. One day she said in all simplicity : “ I want to be tranquil in the last part of my life. Though I’m still in good health, I can see the effects of aging on my body…my aim is to be ready for death, to be well-prepared for the deliverance of my soul lightly…and when the time comes, I wish to depart swiftly and easily, without leaving behind any heaviness, or unfinished work for my family. ”

It is motivating to live life on both spiritual and material dimensions, in body and spirit. It entails meaning and hope. One can keep the good faith in future and beyond, in the eternal. It is but a passage of limited time on earth, a time to put effort to do good and to become a true human being notwithstanding the adversities, for the harvest awaits us in the other world. After all a life that is lived good renders good and brings blissful happiness happy ever after.

Duygu Bruce

[1]  [2] Paroles de Vérité, Albin Michel, 2014. Paroles 2 & 41, English translation forthcoming.