Body and Soul

Two years ago last month my father passed away. He was seventy years old in seeming good health when he was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer. He lived six weeks almost to the day from his diagnosis. We got to spend a lot of time together before he passed and now I'm glad that we knew he was going. I just came to realize something today that I learned from this experience that I hadn't thought of before.

During the first three to four weeks after his diagnosis my Dad was very concerned with things that he felt that he hadn't gotten done, that in his mind had to be done before he was gone.  He worked at setting his affairs in order, making sure that we would take care of my Mom after he was gone. He insisted that we take him shopping in order to buy a laptop computer, hook it up to the internet all so he could personally look up two ancestors that he was curious about. He ate all the things he loved, visited with friends and family, He seemed to be trying to sew up all the loose ends of his life.

The last two weeks were completely different. He lost control of most of his bodily functions and when that happened, he seemed to disengage himself from all earthly things. It was like he took on a spiritual existence as opposed to a physical one. He talked of seeing loved ones long since passed. Waiting for his late father to come and get him. It was as if he was done with his body and had become a spiritual being. This brings me to the point of my epiphany today.

It seems to me that we go through life living for the tangible, day to day experiences that we call mortality. This can be fulfilling and rewarding to a point but there seems to always be something missing. What we are missing is that we are spiritual beings living in a mortal, tangible body. The physical can only satisfy us to a point. Complete fulfillment can only come when the experience of life is brought to a spiritual level as well as a physical one.

Lasting happiness can never come from without. No matter how many new toys or cars or clothes one buys, they only provide temporary enjoyment. True happiness comes when the inner spirit is affected. This comes from doing your best in all your endeavors, overcoming  challenges, truly loving others and being right with God. True joy has nothing to do with the tangible because these things are fleeting. When our soul is engaged then our happiness can be complete. To be truly happy, find a path that will engage you body and soul.