The Blue Marble: What We Know For Sure…
“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience.” – Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
The Blue Marble: What We Know for Sure...
The Noblest Death…
When we think of earth, most of us don’t imagine the magnificent vision of the blue marble; a picture of our earth taken by the crew of Apollo 17 in 1972. By the same token, when we think of life, we rarely add its definitive companion – death. What we know for sure is that all who live, eventually die. The bigger question is: which do you fear most, life or death?
Many, many years ago, in a town anchored by the blue marble, where how a man died was more revered than life itself, there lived three men. When a man died nobly, the town celebrated his death for seven days. If a man didn’t, then a perfunctory burial took place quickly and without any pomp and circumstance. Now you may ask, how did the town make its determination? Well, read on.
Each of the three men I mentioned earlier believed his path was destined and noble. In fact, each man believed that if he performed certain actions and paid certain dues to the gods, the leaders, and his fellow men and women, his death would be noble and the town would celebrate his demise. The first man was a rich merchant in Khmer who traveled for trade. He was successful, he gave alms, he cheated his customers sometimes, but washed his sins away in the temple by donating huge sums of money. He believed all people who weren’t rich were lazy or stupid.
The second man was a holy monk at Angor Wat whose life was full of study and practice. He was a devoted sadhu and prayed without ceasing. He hated people he considered sinful meat eaters, and fantasized about orgies and someday ruling the guileless idiots beneath him who had no respect for sadhus or prayers.
The third man was a poor sweeper at the temple who neither traveled nor studied. He did his job without expectation of praise or blame. He welcomed all to the temple without judgment. He focused on his work and gave it his best; his heart filled with gratitude. When he died, a blue pearl leaped from his third eye and merged into the depth of the blue marble… More on the story & on our Duo Blog Hops below! 🙂
✿♡✿MeetUp Two Weeks Long Blog Hops -3/28-4/11✿♡✿
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“Die happily and look forward to taking up a new and better form. Like the sun, only when you set in the west can you rise in the east.” Rumi
The Blue Marble: What We Know for Sure... a view of the South Pole
His was the noblest death of the three because he understood that it isn’t what you do in life that matters, it is how you do it… He swept the temple courtyard ever mindful of what he was doing. What do you fear most? Are you living your best life or worrying about your demise?
What we know for sure is that we will all eventually die. Perform your duties as if the world is watching and remember that no matter what we do, we are all One. Trust, believe and live your life as if every breath is your last.
This post is inspired by a Daily Post prompt on finishing an old post, by a story modified from one shared via a facebook friend, and by Mamakat’s weekly Writer’s Workshop prompt on what we know for sure… What are your thoughts?
Did you join our new Blog Hop last week? It has now been extended for another two weeks. Do visit others on the list and they will return the visit. If you didn’t add a post last week, do so now. You can also change what you added for a new post. Read the rules below; ✿♡✿Again, add a post you’d like others to read and comment on or one that made you laugh!✿♡✿
STEPS/RULES: The rules are easy peasy.
♥Add your post to Linky #1,
♥add your fan page/networked blog (if you have one) to Linky #2,
♥leave me a comment or question especially if we haven’t already met,
♥Click on the links above your post & visit as many fellow blogger posts as you wish,
♥comment/like their post, and/or fan their Facebook page/Networked blog,
♥Let them know you’re from our Two Week MeetUp Blog Hop ~ they will return the love
♥and spread the word.
✿♡✿Thank you All!✿♡✿
✿♡✿MeetUp Two Weeks Long Blog Hops -3/28 – 4/11✿♡✿
MeetUp Monday-Sunday Two Weeks Long Blog Hop for Blog Posts
MeetUp Monday-Sunday Two Weeks Long Facebook & NetworkedBlogs Blog Hop
Positive Motivation Tip: Live your life as if each day is the last. Embrace your loved ones and then let go…
Related Articles
- The Earth is a Blue Marble (2pat.wordpress.com)
- Life Storms: Dreaming of Rainfall & A Blog Hop in March (eof737.wordpress.com)
PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: Photo of The Blue Marble Earth & South Pole via Wikipedia
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
Dear Eliz,
How many time we have to celebrate funeral rites?
I remember New Orleans, Haiti, third: Fukushima.
Let’s hope, that we are glad, when we are on the other side …
P.S.:
you said my article
R: river-washing-off-sorrows
was disturbing,
but I thought you are near to Eastern philosophies, religions, rites?
Dear Frizztext,
You are right… I am and it was! Who knows what prompts the heart to touch on these topics again and again. Perhaps the equally disturbing world events? the realities of our lives? Elizabeth Taylor’s death? The joy of birth? Dear One, even I don’t know, I just go with the flow and the rest follows. It is not meant to be sad; just a fact of life plus I liked the three men short story when I read it, so I made some changes and added another level to flesh out the story and add more meaning….
Thank you for your feedback. It is not meant to be sad, but a reminder to live with joy and passion, no? 🙂
E
Elizabeth Taylor – she lived intensive; had a lot of joy with her hairstyles too; maybe that continues in heaven …
I hope so… It would terribly sad if it didn’t! 🙂
Hi, all!
I will catch up with all my comments this week… I am just swamped with offline demands. I always appreciate comments and have left you same on your blogs. Bear with me please, I will respond! TY for your patience. 🙂
Elizabeth
the Bible says, in Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters…
I think, whatever we do…we are doing for someone greater, or something greater than ourselves…that is what elevates…being led out of our human bodies and selfishness…into the light of love
blessings
jane
Indeed, our work should be for the greater good … beyond our own desires and expectations. Yet, God exists in all these human forms that we treat well or poorly… The temple sweeper had an eye for both pure service and equal treatment of others. Thanks for your feedback Jane…
It would be a wonderful shopping experience if all came to the table with the same conviction. More service, less meanness…
By the way, I have not been able to access your blog to leave you comments… Don’t think it’s a server problem because I have access to others… 🙂
Thanks again for your insights and feedback!
Eliz
Love this post. Love the Blue Marble. “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience.”
My philosophy is, I don’t want to outlive my usefulness. So I feel a need to live fully and purposefully. When my purpose is over I will pass on. That said, I know I cannot learn all that I need to learn in one go round, so I will be back to learn more.
Good post! thanks.
Years ago, I read something that kind of relates to this. I think it was in, “Messages from Michael”, a book of channeled material. One thing Michael said was, the rich man is often a young soul. The old soul is his gardener. I’ve never forgotten that. And, it makes a lot of sense to me, because the old soul knows how little there is to be gained from material wealth and the pursuit of same.
And I have long believed that it isn’t so much what you do, but how and why you do it. That’s my working theory, anyway.
Blessings,
Orea
Wonderful post, Eliz. Great story about being the best we can be without comparing ourselves to others.
You plan to come back Barbara? I don’t! I do want my life to have meaning and be productive.
I love this post too and the underlying message about service and our attitude.
But why do a lot of fables pick on the rich? There are rich people who are virtuous, right?
I suspect it is more about selfihness and greed than their wealth.
The beauty of the story is its simplity and mystical quality.
You are a skilled storyteller and should put something together.
B
Hi Elizabeth. I signed up for your two week blog hop although I’m not sure how it works!
It’s sad, in a way, that to really soak in the gift of life we must compare it to the ultimate fear of every living thing which is death. To savor the fragrance of a single rose, we must have experienced the loss of scent. I know it is true that we should live life to the fullest each day but reality interferes with that goal. If I could give myself just five minutes to drink in life’s blessings each day, maybe I could find it in my soul to be a better person. One without the seven deadly sins chasing me. This is what I come away with today. Thanks Elizabeth.
Every day I wake up, looking forward to interacting with others in a joyful and positive way. I know I am fortunate to be blessed with such a positive outlook on life. It really makes all the difference. Whether you are cleaning out the toilet, researching a cure for cancer, writing a children’s book, cashiering at a local food market…if you do it with a joyful heart to the best of your ability…you have found the secret of success!
I’m back home, Eliz…had a wonderful time…and eager to share. Thanks for a wonderful story and a great post!
Enjoyed reading the “Blue Marble”and the three men. Very well written. It is true, we need to live our life in having compassion for others, being joyful in a positive way. Live life the best we can each day !! Brings hope not only to ourselves, but for others around us.
Sorry, EOF, but this is a comment to the Mirth post which wouldn’t let me post past your 27th post!? Anyway, yes we do have to find happiness even in the small things. I take care of it this way: my Mexican immigrant students provide me with much pleasure and since my kids are grown, I treat them to dinner out, movies, and books. We live at the shore, they live at the shore and every day in the summertime when both of their parents are working–they sit in the house and watch T.V. I buy them clothes from the thrift store too–gosh–it all makes me feel good!