An old man at his death bed was being revived at the hospital. His time was almost up, he needed to let go of life, but how can we humans ever do this? The most difficult thing is letting go. Our possessions, clothing, house, car, the spouse, children, pets, antique collection, gadgets, our work, everything we ever invested for, but most of all, this body that we came with and completely identified to.
Taken For Granted
The doctors were trying their level best to keep him alive, to keep that tiny little heart of his beating. At one of the attempts, they finally told him that he needed oxygen support and it would cost him a fortune, to which we went completely silent. They were worried that he could not afford the payment, but he spoke with the little energy left and tears in his eyes, “As long as I have been alive and breathing, this fresh air, this pure oxygen, provided by mother nature and not a single cent asked for and taken. And now I am here, paying for something I have taken for granted my whole life and never paid a single cent in return.
Oxygen To Breath
This is how most of us are living on this precious planet earth. Nature is the very heart sustaining billions of vital forces in existence, and the trees are the very lungs, giving us humans and other animals oxygen to breathe every second. The gift of life is right in front of us, the miracle happening every day, yet we keep ourselves busy with petty little things, completely self-absorbed in our little egos and pride. Only to realise the things that really matter, at the very last hour, if we are lucky enough. Sometimes completely appeared and disappeared from this earth with total ignorance.
Look At The Trees
Like how a cuckoo calls out at the dawn of the day, giving an indication that the sun is rising and a new day is ahead of us, a brand new start, in the same way, I call out. Stop for a moment, look at the trees around us, how critical they are to our existence and the existence of every other species. The air that we are inhaling, completely free of charge, not a single currency can be paid to mother nature in return for this. All that we need to do is take care of her. We are her children, and the trees are our brothers and sisters, the ecology functioning as one big family.
Revive Mother Earth
Pick up a seed, a tiny plant, and while feeling the soil in your hands, sow the plant at its new home. Repeat this process, again and again, creating awareness to people around us to do the same, teaching our children how to live on this earth. It’s the only way we can pay our gratitude here on earth. To plant more trees, to make this earth as green as possible, revive mother nature, and rehabilitate the source of life. For we are at the most crucial moment of truth, the lungs of this planet have been injured by us humans and we are the only ones who can nurse it back.
A short story by Anita Vincent
