........What Is The Answer............

One great woman of this century, a poet of the highest rank, Gertrude Stein, was dying. And her friends had gathered because the doctors had said it was only a question of a few hours. Around her bed they were sitting in deep silence, tears in their eyes...  Suddenly Stein opened her eyes, looked all around and said, ”What is the answer?”
This was so strange. People ask the question first: the question had not been asked and she is asking for the answer. Perhaps she is perfectly aware that there is not much time to ask the question – her whole life has gone by and she has not asked the question. At least before she leaves,  she can listen to the answer. What is the answer? And all those who were present were puzzled, because they didn’t know what her question was, so how to give the answer? To argue with a dying woman, whom they all loved and respected, would be very disrespectful, but still, she was waiting for something else to be said

 So one friend said, ”Stein, you have forgotten to ask the question – how can we answer?”
She smiled, and said,”Okay, then what is the question?” And that was her last word. She died with these words on her lips.

This small incident has profound meaning. Neither do we know the question, nor do we know the answer, and yet we go on dragging ourselves – not knowing from where we come, not knowing where we are going, not knowing what we are doing here. It is a very strange situation.
The Blessed One is one who has become a door to the beyond, to the unknown secrets and mysteries. And unless you become a seeker, you will go on breathing, vegetating, and you will die without even becoming aware of what this life was all about.
~OSH0~~

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