Life is too short, so?

The most common conclusion, as you may know, goes like: so we have to live it to the fullest! But I believe it's smarter to come to a more meaningful conclusion and truth, like: which means that, in the blink of an eye, we will be dead!

That doesn't mean pessimism, in any way. It just means realism and focusing on what really matters, and especially doing the right thing. It means letting go of our selfishness, because no matter how much pleasure or how much pain we had in this short life, they will have vanished once the soul leaves the body!

And why even think of death. Think of right now, right this moment, then think of all the pleasures and pains that you had in the past. Where are they? Completely gone! Of course anything that we're experiencing in the present seems too powerful for us to think that it will one day vanish, but it's the truth, and we know it for sure, from experience.

According to Aisha, wife of Prophet Muhammad, one day he came back home during the Eid Al-Adha celebration, the time of the year when Muslims sacrifice animals and have to give one share to the poor, one share to their relatives and neighbors, and keep the third to themselves. Muhammad asked his wife: "What remains of the goat?" She replied: "only one leg remains, we have given away the rest". There the Prophet corrected her: "All the goat remains, except the leg!"

It's not uncommon to hear someone talking about the joy of giving. Each one might have experienced it for her or himself. It's a universal human experience. And many times it's way greater that the joy of simply taking.

If life is this short, then we should just remember the fact, and work and live accordingly. We can live it to the fullest, but only as long as we're not harming or hurting. We should work for something bigger than our mere selves, and contribute to life and others as much as we possibly can. Because it will all vanish. And only our righteous deeds will remain forever for our joy and peace!

Whether we live within and for ourselves is not only about what truly remains. It affects our experience of life in the very present. It makes the difference between living in abundance or living in scarcity, from within. Selfishness is poor, giving and caring for others is rich and wealthy!