“I am not ready to die,” Body speaks to mind.
“Neither am I my friend,” Mind responds.
One is never ready for Death. Till the last breath, Body, Mind and Heart wish for an alternate ending to life.
“I am weak,” says Body.
“Body, I know you are weak. I am looking for the medicine to what ails you. I know there’s a cure for your pain.”
Mind’s attempt of reassurance is met with silence.
“You cannot give up, Body. Today, like many other times in the past, I will protect you.”
Body feels cold.
“Why am I sad?” Body muses.
“Stop the sadness. Drive it away,” Mind says. “Sadness makes us weaker. I can give you happy thoughts.”
“Think of the time we jumped off the cliff. Remembering that always gives us joy.”
Body recalls the moments when they fell into the water, the warm waters felt like a warm embrace back then, but this time there is no warmth. He continues to be cold. And the coldness reaches his feet.
“No!!!!” Mind is frantic.
“No!!!” He cries and his tears blind him. He loses sight of Body. “Body, where are you my friend? Please don’t leave. Please don’t leave me alone.”
“My love, Please hold my hand. You are not alone. I am here.” It is Heart who speaks. He has been watching Mind and Body all along.
Heart feels Mind’s suffering. Heart feels Body’s pain.
It is clear that the end is near but only Heart accepts it.
“Mind, please hold my hand. We are together till the end.”
“It’s unfair.” Mind is sobbing, “We should live forever.”
Heart cannot muster a response; he just squeezes Mind’s hand.
Mind calms down, then Heart speaks. “She is here my friend. Are you ready?”
“Sh-she is? I am not ready Heart. Can’t we ask her for more time? Can’t we offer her anything.”
“She does not need anything from us Mind. She comes when it’s time. And it is.”
Body is motionless.
The cold continues to spread.
The toes, then the feet, then the legs. Freezing.
The fingers, then the arms, the head, then the eyes. Freezing.
Lastly, the chest. The cold reaches the chest.
Heart is the only one who can speak and he says.
“Death our friend, please be kind”
Death, as always, is kind. She embraces the three friends and kisses them one by one and speaks of her gift to each one.
She kisses Body and says, “Rest.”
She kisses Mind and offers, “The truth that you seek.”
She kisses Heart and gives, “Courage and love.”
Heart falls silent. There no longer is the familiar beat.
For a moment that is eternity, there is only peace.
In the end; Body, Mind, Heart, Death, Life and all there is, is One.