Recently, a healthy young friend had a heart attack and suddenly passed on.

Who could have even imagined that the angel of death would come to claim his soul so early?

So many unfulfilled personal wishes, worldly dreams and desires, now all so inconsequential.

His loving wife was inconsolable and cursed God for taking her beloved away from her.

 Did he belong to her or she to him?

In fact, no one belongs to anyone. We are just travellers on a road, souls that sometimes meet and briefly travel together, only to separate and continue on our individual journeys. To live is to savour each experience and moment, for who knows that it might be our last.

We have our plans, and Creation has its own plans for us.

Gradually awakening a bit each day, constantly evolving, I treasure each moment I have.

Life is brief, but it's enough if we live right with full awareness.

Life has taught me to value each moment and interaction, constantly abandoning the useless, learning anew, loving, improving what I can and evolving. Life is brief, and each breath is precious, and can be enriching, for who knows it might be our last.

My late young friend had showered his love and attention on his wife and son and had focused intensely on his career and lifestyle. He told me he loved and respected his ageing parents, and that he was grateful for their contributions, even if they were no longer useful to him.

He always thought of spending more time with his parents. Now he has gone, and they will die soon, disappointed and sad, doubting whether they mattered to their highly successful son. Nor will they enjoy the precious attention and love, the expected fruits of their investment in caring, protecting and loving him.

I try to live like I am never going to die.

We perceive we have time, but in reality, we do not, just like my late young friend did not have. Please don't wait until it is too late, spend a little of your time with your parents. The elderly need very little, but they need that 'little' so much.