The mind's horizon

Recently my son took a beautiful photo of the ocean at the break of dawn. It was a thin line of bright light was coming out piercing through the darkness above and below - the horizon, a crack between the sky and the ocean. It inspired in me a sense of being joyful and courageous. As if in a whisper, it said - the mind is that window of bright light in the vast dark expanse of the universe and its secrets. Life starts like a sparkling and dancing river. We embrace it with our aspirations and with many hopes. We want to remain happy and connected with others and imagine it flowing forever. Little do we realize that life is but a moment of light piercing the dark, and we are all dancers in the interplay of matter and energy, ready to transform when the moment passes. Passing through many phases and encountering many challenges, when finally we enter the golden period of old age our views become more balanced and matured. Though like an old car, our physical faculties start shaking, when we learn to manage one part, other parts start creaking and groaning. At that point many of us feel powerless and lost. The only remedy is to maintain a positive outlook, and stay focused on the power of the mind that can penetrating the universe with the bright light of the dawn and show us what we truly are. When we slow down at the tail end of this journey, we all need rest and loving care from dear ones. In that, some are fortunate, some and some are not. But whatever the situation we may face, we cannot afford to lose control of the only tool of courage and positivity - the mind. When life seems to be a struggle, we should try to draw strength from that cosmic spart that lives within us, stay calm and do our duty as appropriate to what life asks of us.Decaying physical health can be managed by maintaining a simple and disciplined life which includes yoga, meditation, proper food, and appropriate rest. We are all parts of a whole. Individuals lit by the universal source of energy - the source of our life force and consciousness. The manifestations of energy may by heat or light, star systems or life forms. But each state is transient and when the moment passes, all must become the same. Life gives an opportunity to realize our cosmic connection through transformations - both challenging and joyful. But our mind can frame our state of being into one that is ever loving, carefree, peaceful and courageous. I end with a few inspiring lines from Tagore, "I know your presence, when I bow to you in my days of prosperity, in my darkest nights, when the whole world turns against me. Let me not ever doubt you".