The Madman Encounters a Funeral

The Madman encountered a funeral as he walked

out of his town. The body was wrapped in
its shroud, borne by the men of the family
while the women followed weeping.
Their sadness trailed after them like a
morning fog.

“Death is so unfair. I knew him. He was strong,
not yet truly old, his daughter soon to marry.”
Said a young man with his wife
at his side, who had paused next to
the Dervish.

“Birth is so unfair.” the Madman said.
The couple’s attention was quickly diverted from
the funeral to the dervish.
“What? What did you say?” the man asked.
“Birth is so unfair.” he repeated
“How can you possibly say that? My wife
will soon give birth and we are looking forward to
it with great joy! Unfair? Rubbish!”

The Madman turned to them and said,
“That man, was he not once born?”

“Well yes, of course he was. That is obvious”

“And since his life was brought to this untimely end,
before his daughter married, and grandchildren gathered
round,, was not his very birth the cause of his death, for
had he never been born, he never would have died.”

“Well, that is true, but if he had not been born, he never
would have married, had children, taught in the
Holy Sanctuary, enlightening his students and freeing their
hearts, who in turn have been teaching others. His books
will live for decades after him. How is that unfair, I ask you!”

“Well, he died did he not, and you said that death was unfair..”

“Death and life are contained within each other, you dolt!”
the young man shouted .
“If you live, you die! It is just that simple!”

“His timing was unfair then.” said the dervish.

“Ridiculous, the time is in God’s Hands, not ours. When it is time
it is time!”

“That being so, this was then unfair, how?”

The stillness was only broken by a donkey cart rattling
by on the road..

The dervish smiled.

“Your wife is about to bring your Love into this world.
Go and prepare to receive your child, and be
joyful. Fairness or unfairness have nothing to
do with beginnings and endings,
only with how we treat each other.”

The young couple nodded and hurried away.

The Madman looked into his big pocket to where
his kitten slept. He reached in and gently stroked Her
between the ears.
She rolled and stretched as best she could,

“mew””

“Indeed, Little One, and so it is.


TF ©27Aug2010