Conversation with Relatives

Conversation With Relatives Today, I feel an intense resolve. About two years ago, family members frequently shared news of someone's passing—whether it was from the village or someone I had once known. During those conversations, I would tense up and firmly request that they refrain from calling with bad news. Death is a constant reminder, glaring at us from our calendars. I recall a time when my neighbor had called to inform me that someone was outside my door, dressed in black, was banging on it. My immediate thought was that the Angel of Death was seeking me out. In these pandemic days, he is everywhere, like an Amazon Prime van overshadowing UPS trucks. While the world faces shutdowns, some individuals refuse to take it seriously. They blatantly reject the vaccines, either out of selfishness or fear of death. It's essential to acknowledge that death will claim us all; poets write about it because they express truths that other forms of communication often miss. As Lao Tzu stated, "A man with outward courage dares to die; a man with inner courage dares to live." My mantra today is to seize each moment and live every day as if it's my last.