Losing things in the course of life

Losing things in the course of life

There is a famous Kashmiri folklore about a “zenmazoor” (wood cutter). He sold wood to the people to feed his family and make a living. One day he earned quite a buck and was very happy. But as ill luck would have it, while returning home he sat down to take rest awhile and fell asleep. A thief stole all his hard earned money and he had to return home empty handed.
Next day he again did the same and took extra precautions and kept the money under the cap on his head. This time again, luck failed him. An eagle came and took away his money along with his cap. He was again very sad. The other day again something bad happened and he lost his money on his way to home. This made him very sad and he wept bitterly, singing a pathetic song on his predicament and bad luck. It is a heart wrenching Kashmiri song Known as “Zen Mazoor”, the wood cutter, which is a famous Kashmiri folklore.
Over our course of life, we also suffer losses of many kinds which make us sad. Some losses are of minor nature while others are of grave nature. We manage to make up some losses easily while some of them are very difficult to be overcome and sustained. Some are of temporary nature while others have a permanent bearing and last even for our whole life.
All these losses suffered in one’s life have been categorised and summed up in a nice manner in a beautiful quote as under:
“When wealth is lost, nothing is lost,
When health is lost, something is lost,
But when character is lost, everything is lost”
Of all the three categories of losses mentioned above, loss of character is the greatest loss. Loss of wealth is described as no loss at all. It is because wealth cannot make us happy and if once it is lost, it can again be earned and regained by exercising and utilising the talents which God has given us. If at all money and wealth goes from our hands, it is most likely to come back to us. This point has already been discussed in a previous write-up by this author. The loss of wealth and money is of temporary nature and with time and resources it is possible to make up its loss. Moreover, poverty in itself is not regarded as disgrace as many great people in the world have lived an austere life, devoid of any pecuniary interests and luxurious comforts. Absence of wealth and money has not come in the way of their greatness. Therefore, loss of wealth is not considered as loss at all.
The importance of things is only known to us when we lose them on the journey of life. George Bernard Shaw once said that there are two tragedies in life: one is to lose your heart’s desire, the other is to gain it. Things other than money which we sometimes lose are so important that the loss of money or wealth pales into insignificance when compared to them.
Health is also an extremely valuable asset for us and its value is only known to us when we lose it and are sick. In fact it is the hope of life and one who has hope has everything. It is the real wealth and the principal capital asset which we possess. It is so important that we are required to produce the proof of good health while seeking employment in any organisation. It has also been said that a sound mind is only possible when the body is sound and free from any health issues. Loss of health can also disturb one’s abilities and we cannot discharge our duties and responsibilities towards our society and family without sound health. Life can only be enjoyed if we have a good health and loss of health is indeed a great loss for which we are worried all through our life and take all the precautions and health tips to maintain it. Nowadays, engaging a family doctor and having health insurance is very common. This shows the importance of maintaining sound health all through our life.
There are other losses also connected with the loss of health. Loss of health can cost us our employment as no one will like to keep a sick person in his organisation. It is also said that a healthy outside starts from a healthy inside. Our body also reflects what is in our mind. It also depends on good nutrition, good feelings, positive thoughts, mental wellness, meditation and a healthy lifestyle. Besides our body and physical health, mental and emotional health is also of paramount importance.

—The writer is a retired telecom engineer

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