Soulful Nishi

Just over a week ago, something happened that left me shaken.

My friend from one of my groups lost her son, —a bright, young man, only 24 years old. He was a medical student here in Dallas, home for a brief visit. One morning, as his mother went to offer him some fruit, she found him lifeless. He had passed away in his sleep. Peacefully, yes—but far too soon.

Though he was not my child, the grief touched me deeply. I wept. I imagined the pain of a parent, having nurtured a child, watched him grow, filled his life with dreams—only to see it all come to a sudden, silent end. The question arises in every heart: Why?

There are no easy answers. But in the stillness that follows such loss, a quiet thought begins to form:

Every soul comes into this world with its own journey—a purpose, a path, and a time to return.

Some souls stay longer; others leave sooner. Not because they were incomplete, but perhaps because their purpose had already been fulfilled in ways we may not yet understand.

As human beings, we live with the illusion of permanence. We make plans, we build attachments, we imagine we have time. Yet life humbles us again and again—reminding us that nothing here is forever.

Still, love is not a mistake. Attachment is not wrong. To love deeply is a blessing. And to grieve is simply the other side of that love.

But along with attachment, we must learn the grace of detachment—to accept that every soul is on its own path, governed by its own karmas, its own timing. And that we are not here to judge or question, but to surrender.

For the grieving parents, there are no words that can truly comfort. The wound is too raw. But I pray that with time, strength will return, and their love for their son will turn into a guiding light.

Let us remember: Life is a sacred journey. Death is not the end—it is a return home. The soul does not vanish. It lives on—in memory, in prayer, in every act of kindness done in its name.

May his soul be at peace. May those left behind be wrapped in courage, in love, and in divine strength. And may we all live each day more gently, more gratefully—knowing that every moment we’re given is precious.

Om Shanti.