LIVING
What follows is a
ten-line anonymous poem titled ‘Living”. Its purpose is to give useful hints to
the readers about spending their life time joyfully in this world.
We shall have a look at each line separately
and try to learn from it whatever we can about the art of living.
1.To touch
the cup with eager lips and taste, and drain.
The cup here
means the cup of life. Let us hold it eagerly and decently and drink its
contents gradually. There should be no haste, no hurry.
2. To woo
and tempt and court a bliss---and not attain it’
Try to win over a sort of life’s bliss
but not succeed in attaining it as much as you try.
3. To fondle
and caress a joy, yet hold it lightly.
Do long and embrace a joy of life but
not hold it tightly. Do it gently.
4. Lest it become necessity and cling too
tightly.
We should not make any joy an addiction,
a habit, or a necessity.
5. To watch
the sun set in the west without regretting.
We should not feel sad when the sun which
rises in the east in the morning sets in the west in the evening.
6. To hail
its advent in the east-the night forgetting.
We should welcome the arrival of the sun in the in the morning but should not forget
that it will disappear at night.
7. To
smother care in happiness and grief in laughter.
We should keep a touch of care or worry
in happiness and grief in laughter.
8. To hold
the present close ---not questioning hereafter.
It is fine to focus ourselves closely on
the present time but should not forget that it will be over and the future will
follow.
9. To have
enough to share ---to know the joy of giving.
We
must not spend all our assets immediately; on the other hand making savings and
share them with other needy people because there is a joy of giving.
10. To
thrill with all the sweets of life ---is living.
In this
final line the anonymous poet gives his central message and that is sharing our
sweet joys of life with other people.
*****
G.R.Kanwal
2nd February 2026
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