(inspired by a life greatly lived)
By Mansha Kaur Anand
We all have an expiration date,
Something set ahead by the Divine,
As much as we plead, and as much as we wait,
It’ll only reveal itself when it’s time.
It can’t be postponed,
It’s inevitable Nor prayed away, It’s not a mislabel.
What we can do, and should,
Is to make life good,
As we live it on a day to day.
What’s left is but dust,
not a thing we get to take.
Nor a person, nor a pet,
Then why live this life with regret,
While you’re still awake.
As the end draws near,
One thing becomes quite clear,
That the only thing that mattered is the ones you held dear.
For, all the wealth accumulated, we leave behind.
All the degrees & titles, Do not remind.
The beauty and youth, we thought was eternal.
The standing in society was only external.
The one thing, the only thing, that comes back full circle,
Is the love we gave,
The joy we caused,
The memories we made,
Those make for the final applause
As you bow out of life,
Did you love your husband?
Did you love your wife?
Did you love your parents?
Did you love your neighbours?
Did you love your friends?
Were you kind to your labourers?
Was your heart tender?
Are your intentions good?
To the best of your ability, did you do what you could?
To leave the world a better place, When the time demanded, did you show your grace?
To those we loved, I dedicate this poem. And to you, I ask a question:
Who will cry, when you die?
(And if the answer escapes you, It isn’t too late, do not rue, just flip a page, and start anew.)
– Mansha Kaur Anand
About Mansha:
Mansha Kaur, Writer & Podcast Host
Having spent the first thirteen years of her life across three continents (part of which spoke no English), perceiving what people were trying to say through their body language and emotions more than their words came naturally to her.
Mansha runs a personal growth (of which she professes to be self-proclaimed junkie) podcast called ‘Heart On My Sleeve’, which has garnered a listenership over 110,000 strong. Making it one of the 20 most listened to podcasts in the country.
It covers everything from improving your existing relationships (especially the one that you have with yourself) to finding meaning in all the big & little things that you do.
She says, “Most of us are going through the same stuff, no matter how put together we may seem on the surface. The same insecurities and doubts. And sometimes just knowing that it isn’t a ‘you’ problem but a ‘human’ problem makes all the difference in the world.”
More than anything else, that’s something that she cares to convey through her writings.
She also writes poetry and is rediscovering her forgotten love for calligraphy.
You can find bits of all of her work on her Instagram handle: @manshakauranand. You can also check out more poetry at @poetryandpodcasts
