Afraid to Die
Afraid to Die
A sick man turned to his doctor, as he was
preparing to leave the examination room and said,
"Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me
what lies on the other side."
"Very quietly, the doctor said, "I don't know."
'You don't know? You, a Christian man, do not
know what is on the other side?"
The doctor was holding the handle of the door;
on the other side of which came a sound of scratching
and whining, and as he opened the door, a dog sprang
into the room and leaped on him with an eager show
of gladness.
Turning to the patient, the doctor said, "Did
you notice my dog?
He's never been in this room before. He didn't
know what was inside.
He knew nothing except that his master was here,
and when the door opened, he sprang in without fear. I
know little of what is on the other side of death, but
I do know one thing...I know my Master is there and
that is enough."
preparing to leave the examination room and said,
"Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me
what lies on the other side."
"Very quietly, the doctor said, "I don't know."
'You don't know? You, a Christian man, do not
know what is on the other side?"
The doctor was holding the handle of the door;
on the other side of which came a sound of scratching
and whining, and as he opened the door, a dog sprang
into the room and leaped on him with an eager show
of gladness.
Turning to the patient, the doctor said, "Did
you notice my dog?
He's never been in this room before. He didn't
know what was inside.
He knew nothing except that his master was here,
and when the door opened, he sprang in without fear. I
know little of what is on the other side of death, but
I do know one thing...I know my Master is there and
that is enough."
satgur kahere: naav keeje har ke naam kee
ane te maanhe saachaa bharee-e bhaar
pavan jo chaale prem kaa
to satgur utaare paar re............19
The True Guide says: Let the outward form of the boat be the name of the Lord, and fill it with the true load(good deeds). When the wind of love blows over, the True Guide will take you across.
ane te maanhe saachaa bharee-e bhaar
pavan jo chaale prem kaa
to satgur utaare paar re............19
The True Guide says: Let the outward form of the boat be the name of the Lord, and fill it with the true load(good deeds). When the wind of love blows over, the True Guide will take you across.
Actually the entire humanity are His blessed children. Everyone ultimately returns to Him. We who are His murids have a better chance of attaining (spiritual) closeness to him. Others also attain that closeness.
ISMS was once asked which is the sect out of 73 sects which will be saved. He answered the sect that comprises of all the pious people of all the different sects.
There are those who attain closeness to him even during this life. For them death is just a continuum. For others they have to be 'purified' before they attain that closeness.
"A man who is advancing (spiritually) will begin to enjoy the deeper beatitude whether he is at work or not. While his hands are in society, he keeps his head cool in solitude."
-Ramana Maharshi
ISMS was once asked which is the sect out of 73 sects which will be saved. He answered the sect that comprises of all the pious people of all the different sects.
There are those who attain closeness to him even during this life. For them death is just a continuum. For others they have to be 'purified' before they attain that closeness.
"A man who is advancing (spiritually) will begin to enjoy the deeper beatitude whether he is at work or not. While his hands are in society, he keeps his head cool in solitude."
-Ramana Maharshi
Re: Afraid to Die
It's not that I'm afraid to die. I just don't want to be there when it happens.
--Woody Allen
--Woody Allen
Re: Afraid to Die
Anne Frank:
The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature
The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature
Shams,
Sometimes i find your posts too intellectual ( and i mean that as a compliment) i was unsure what u meant by ' Is speech a part of our action? ' I believe it certainly is, but i dont understand why you asked this question in this post. Also regarding, we all being blessed as humanity - i think we are all blessed. Everyone of us believes that their leader will be on the other side - whether the leader be moses, christ, ram/krishna, muhammad, or/and hazar imam. and the truth is that they will all be there, so we are all blessed.
Sometimes i find your posts too intellectual ( and i mean that as a compliment) i was unsure what u meant by ' Is speech a part of our action? ' I believe it certainly is, but i dont understand why you asked this question in this post. Also regarding, we all being blessed as humanity - i think we are all blessed. Everyone of us believes that their leader will be on the other side - whether the leader be moses, christ, ram/krishna, muhammad, or/and hazar imam. and the truth is that they will all be there, so we are all blessed.
noorani81 wrote:Shams,
Also regarding, we all being blessed as humanity - i think we are all blessed. Everyone of us believes that their leader will be on the other side - whether the leader be moses, christ, ram/krishna, muhammad, or/and hazar imam. and the truth is that they will all be there, so we are all blessed.
On the Day of Judgment, other people may even have an excuse that they were unaware of the siratal mustaqim (satpanth deen). But you the Arabs, the Badakshanis, the Khojas and the Momnas, and all others, who are Ismailis of true path (satpanthi), will have no excuse at all on the Doom’s day.
A man does not consider that if, on the Day of Judgment, he would say that someone misled his soul, then such an excuse will not be accepted at all.
For how long will you keep wasting in vain and in ignorance the remaining life of yours?
(Aga Khan III)
satgur kahere: naav keeje har ke naam kee
ane te maanhe saachaa bharee-e bhaar
pavan jo chaale prem kaa
to satgur utaare paar re............19
The True Guide says: Let the outward form of the boat be the name of the Lord, and fill it with the true load(good deeds). When the wind of love blows over, the True Guide will take you across.
Hope this will learn from this
sofi
Where does action originate from if not our thoughts.Anonymous wrote:dont know what u mean by we. I hope u meant humanity at whole rather than ismailis, because we will be judged on our actions and our actions alone.
If in our thoughts is present an awareness of the absolute
Wouldn't that be the highest action.
An action that in my opinion is above and beyond all judgement.
Shams
There is a tendency among many shallow thinkers of our day to teach that every human act is a reflex, over which we do not exercise human control. They would rate a generous deed as no more praiseworthy than a wink, a crime as no more voluntary than a sneeze . . . such a philosophy undercuts all human dignity . . . all of us have the power of choice in action at every moment of our livesnoorani81 wrote:Shams,
Sometimes i find your posts too intellectual ( and i mean that as a compliment) i was unsure what u meant by ' Is speech a part of our action? ' I believe it certainly is, but i dont understand why you asked this question in this post. Also regarding, we all being blessed as humanity - i think we are all blessed. Everyone of us believes that their leader will be on the other side - whether the leader be moses, christ, ram/krishna, muhammad, or/and hazar imam. and the truth is that they will all be there, so we are all blessed.
-- Fulton J. Sheen
You will realize the importance of My Farmans on the Day of Judgement. You may not realize it in this world; everything will be clear there.Anonymous wrote:Aren't we blessed!
Those with the black faces and those with the bright faces will be distinguished there. The ones with the black faces would say that: “Had we done good deeds (a’mal), it would have been better!”
(Aga Khan III)
I was in the cardiologist’s office as a student nurse practitioner with my nurse practitioner preceptor John. There were two nurse practitioners and one cardiologist in this busy office. They were in the process of looking for another cardiologist. John was very knowledgeable about cardiology. It was his love and his first job after graduating four years ago. I wished I could be that lucky once I graduated.
John and I split his patients where he would see one and I would see the other. Once I get the history and examination done, I would go out to the hallway and tell him my findings. I needed to have several differential diagnoses, treatment plans, medication or lifestyle adjustment teaching, follow-up…etc. He was tough but I learned.
It was almost noon on a Monday. I had seen seven patients. I am still terribly slow but I know I will pick up speed as I get more experience and establish my comfort at this level of nursing. There was one more patient to see before the office closed for lunch. I picked up the chart and started to go through it. In the exam room was an 87-year-old female who was in the office today for her 6 month follow-up appointment to check her new pacemaker. She had the pacemaker placed 6 months ago. Her name was Mrs. Alice Williamson. The nurse had already done a pacemaker check with the manufacturer’s machine and all of the numbers looked good. I knocked on the door before entering. Seated next to the wall was an elderly woman who looked in pretty good health. She did not have a cane or a walker next to her. She looked pretty good considering the length of her medical history. I introduced myself as a nurse practitioner student and shook her hand. I told her I would be getting her history and perform an examination. Mrs. Williamson did not mind talking with me. I started with routine questions to establish how she was feeling and doing overall. She told me she was doing fine and had no complaints. I went over her medication list to make sure she was still taking them and if she needed any refills. She did not. Everything was going well. I had her stand and walk to the exam table to see how stable she was. She was slow to get up but she was able to walk without any stability problems. I did my exam by listening to her heart and lungs, listened for bruits, felt all of her pulses, looked at her skin color and her feet. I was done with my exam. I had her sit back in the chair next to the wall. I pulled up the stool next to her. I sat on the stool and told her everything looked fine. Then I noticed she was starting to cry. I asked her what was wrong. Alice told me, “I am afraid to die.” I asked her why she was feeling that way to see if something had happened recently that scared her. She told me most of her long-time friends have already died. She lost her brother last year in another state and her husband five years ago. I grabbed the box of Kleenex off the counter. Alice then asked me if she could fly on an airplane with a pacemaker. I told her she could fly on an airplane. This started her talking about why she was afraid to die.
Alice mentioned her great granddaughter Amy who lived in Boston. She wanted to see her very badly but was afraid to fly. She told me Amy probably will not be able to come out to see her because she was busy with college. I asked her why she was afraid to fly on an airplane. Alice told me her brother had a pacemaker and flew to Chicago last year. The first day he was there he apparently died from cardiac arrest. He did not die on the airplane but in the hotel he was staying. She was scared to fly because she did not want to die like her brother. But she did not want to die before seeing her great granddaughter. Alice was still crying.
I took her hand and told her she should go see her great granddaughter in Boston. She should not be afraid to fly. She shook her head yes. She was doing very well medically. Her heart had a new pacemaker which tested perfect today. Alice had stopped crying. I sat with her for a little while longer. Alice told me she would call Amy this week to see when she should fly to Boston. I told her she would have a very nice time in Boston with Amy.
I got up from the stool to talk to John about Alice. He came into the room to briefly see her. Alice was not crying anymore and had a smile on her face. Alice was told by John her pacemaker looked good. She would need to make another appointment 6 months from now. Also, she needed to go to Boston to visit her great granddaughter. Alice smiled. She slowly got up. John and I both shook her hand and led her to the desk to make her appointment. It did not matter the 15 minute appointment turned into 45 minutes. Alice needed to talk to somebody about her fear.
I stood there a while and thought how people stereotype the elderly population. Many assume if people had lived into their 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s, they were satisfied with their lives and should be ready to die. Why shouldn’t an elderly person be just as afraid to die as somebody in their 30’s or 40’s? There was nothing wrong with being an 87-year-old female who was afraid to die. Is this not a natural fear no matter what the age? I was grateful I met Alice that day.
What Do You Think?
John and I split his patients where he would see one and I would see the other. Once I get the history and examination done, I would go out to the hallway and tell him my findings. I needed to have several differential diagnoses, treatment plans, medication or lifestyle adjustment teaching, follow-up…etc. He was tough but I learned.
It was almost noon on a Monday. I had seen seven patients. I am still terribly slow but I know I will pick up speed as I get more experience and establish my comfort at this level of nursing. There was one more patient to see before the office closed for lunch. I picked up the chart and started to go through it. In the exam room was an 87-year-old female who was in the office today for her 6 month follow-up appointment to check her new pacemaker. She had the pacemaker placed 6 months ago. Her name was Mrs. Alice Williamson. The nurse had already done a pacemaker check with the manufacturer’s machine and all of the numbers looked good. I knocked on the door before entering. Seated next to the wall was an elderly woman who looked in pretty good health. She did not have a cane or a walker next to her. She looked pretty good considering the length of her medical history. I introduced myself as a nurse practitioner student and shook her hand. I told her I would be getting her history and perform an examination. Mrs. Williamson did not mind talking with me. I started with routine questions to establish how she was feeling and doing overall. She told me she was doing fine and had no complaints. I went over her medication list to make sure she was still taking them and if she needed any refills. She did not. Everything was going well. I had her stand and walk to the exam table to see how stable she was. She was slow to get up but she was able to walk without any stability problems. I did my exam by listening to her heart and lungs, listened for bruits, felt all of her pulses, looked at her skin color and her feet. I was done with my exam. I had her sit back in the chair next to the wall. I pulled up the stool next to her. I sat on the stool and told her everything looked fine. Then I noticed she was starting to cry. I asked her what was wrong. Alice told me, “I am afraid to die.” I asked her why she was feeling that way to see if something had happened recently that scared her. She told me most of her long-time friends have already died. She lost her brother last year in another state and her husband five years ago. I grabbed the box of Kleenex off the counter. Alice then asked me if she could fly on an airplane with a pacemaker. I told her she could fly on an airplane. This started her talking about why she was afraid to die.
Alice mentioned her great granddaughter Amy who lived in Boston. She wanted to see her very badly but was afraid to fly. She told me Amy probably will not be able to come out to see her because she was busy with college. I asked her why she was afraid to fly on an airplane. Alice told me her brother had a pacemaker and flew to Chicago last year. The first day he was there he apparently died from cardiac arrest. He did not die on the airplane but in the hotel he was staying. She was scared to fly because she did not want to die like her brother. But she did not want to die before seeing her great granddaughter. Alice was still crying.
I took her hand and told her she should go see her great granddaughter in Boston. She should not be afraid to fly. She shook her head yes. She was doing very well medically. Her heart had a new pacemaker which tested perfect today. Alice had stopped crying. I sat with her for a little while longer. Alice told me she would call Amy this week to see when she should fly to Boston. I told her she would have a very nice time in Boston with Amy.
I got up from the stool to talk to John about Alice. He came into the room to briefly see her. Alice was not crying anymore and had a smile on her face. Alice was told by John her pacemaker looked good. She would need to make another appointment 6 months from now. Also, she needed to go to Boston to visit her great granddaughter. Alice smiled. She slowly got up. John and I both shook her hand and led her to the desk to make her appointment. It did not matter the 15 minute appointment turned into 45 minutes. Alice needed to talk to somebody about her fear.
I stood there a while and thought how people stereotype the elderly population. Many assume if people had lived into their 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s, they were satisfied with their lives and should be ready to die. Why shouldn’t an elderly person be just as afraid to die as somebody in their 30’s or 40’s? There was nothing wrong with being an 87-year-old female who was afraid to die. Is this not a natural fear no matter what the age? I was grateful I met Alice that day.
What Do You Think?
I do not think age matters. A person who has elevated himself may be ready to die early. Paramahansa Yogananda died at will in his Mahasamadhi - the great meditation when he was in his 50s. Jesus was ready to go at an age of 33. On the other hand those who are not elevated enough may not feel ready to go even if they are 100 years old.Betty wrote: What Do You Think?
ISMS in his Farman has stated that for a momin, the way is clear and there remains no fear of death.
[quote)Betty
What Do You Think?
Well I think afraid or not afraid, death is not going to wait for anybody. I think for most people it may not be fear of dying but the fear of leaving behind their young children and people very close to them and assurance that all will be taken care of after their death.
Akila
What Do You Think?
Well I think afraid or not afraid, death is not going to wait for anybody. I think for most people it may not be fear of dying but the fear of leaving behind their young children and people very close to them and assurance that all will be taken care of after their death.
Akila
Re: Afraid to Die
"Life is but a brief moment. The years go by quickly and old age arrives suddenly before we have an inkling. People desire so many things and waste their days in vain. Some yearn for gold, others for power, yet others for glory and a higher station. But when death's moment nears and they look back at their lives they've lived, they realise they've been happy only during those moments when they've loved."
-- Borje Vahamaki
-- Borje Vahamaki