It all happened so suddenly. One minute Head Nun was pottering around in her garden, the next she had slipped and fallen in the kitchen. Everyone who was there rushed to her aid and gently lifted her up. They fussed over her and half carried her to her room, despite her protests that she's okay.
Someone called the doctor and we waited anxiously outside while he made his diagnosis. When he emerged from Head Nun's room, we were relieved to hear that there were no broken bones or any other injury. He advised that she took some rest for the next few days.
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| Ning and I waiting anxiously for the doctor to come |
Someone called the doctor and we waited anxiously outside while he made his diagnosis. When he emerged from Head Nun's room, we were relieved to hear that there were no broken bones or any other injury. He advised that she took some rest for the next few days.
The following evening, I visited her in her room and found her rummaging in her drawers.
"Head Nun," I cried. "You should be resting quietly and not moving around."
"Rest, rest, rest!" she almost screamed. "You sound like all the nuns! I'm tired of resting!"
Then seeing the look on my face, she calmed down, smiled and sat down on her bed.
"Sorry, Vege Cat, I know you're all very concerned for me but I'm alright, really."
"It's okay, Head Nun," I replied. She patted my head, sat back and sighed. Suddenly she looked so vulnerable, so frail. One of the nuns told me that she's already 97 which is terribly old for a human. We cats have only 9 lives, or so they say.
"Vege Cat," she said, looking at me. "Who do you think will be the best candidate to take over from me?"
She didn't wait for my reply. "I think Ah Hwa Khor* is the most suitable. I know you and Ning don't like her but behind that sour face, she has a heart of gold. She knows all the prayers well and is capable of running the temple. Ah Mooi Khor can carry on with the cooking and the rest of the nuns can continue with their present duties. And what about you? What will you do when I'm gone?"
"I ...I... don't know...." I stammered, tears already welling up in my eyes.
"What do you mean you don't know!" she snapped. "Have you forgotten your goal to attain Nirvana? You will of course continue in your spiritual efforts! And I shall be watching you from wherever I am! Understand?"
I nodded dumbly as a tear trickled down my cheek.
"Oh, you silly cat! Wipe away your tears, I'm not dead yet. Now go away and let me have the rest you want me so much to have!"
I left her room and found Ning outside waiting for me.
"Hey, she's alright, isn't she? Why the tears?"
"Oh, it's nothing," I said. "What brings you here?"
"Well, I wanted to know whether you have any plans for Christmas. Shall we do something together?"
"I don't know, Ning," I replied, feeling just not in the mood for discussing holiday plans. "With Head Nun like this, I don't think I want to go anywhere."
"You're a real martyr!" said Ning, shaking his head. "I guess I shall hang out with the guys from the Club for Christmas. If you change your mind, let me know." He slapped my shoulder and sauntered off.
I had difficulty getting to sleep that night and prayed fervently that Head Nun would continue to be in good health and live many more years. It was a selfish prayer, I shouldn't want her to live on for my sake but the thought of Head Nun never being with us any more was too depressing for words; what would we do without her?
The doctor came to check Head Nun in the morning and gave her a clean bill of health. He said she could carry on with her usual activities in the temple but should not of course overdo it. All of us were extremely relieved.
Later when we sat down to lunch, Head Nun looked at us and said, "Birth, old age and death are a natural process. Where there is birth, there is death. Some of us may have heard the story of the woman who came to the Buddha in great anguish, carrying her dead child pleading him to bring the child back to life. The Buddha said "Bring to me a mustard seed from any household where no one had ever died and I will fulfill your wish." The woman's attempt to search for such a seed was in vain and of course she could not find any household in which no one had ever died and suddenly she realized the universality of death. True, the loss of someone we love is a painful event but we should not spend the rest of our lives feeling sorry for ourselves. Remember the impermanence of this life which we so much cherish and cling on to. Be kind, be compassionate. Most of all, do not lose sight of your goal, that is to end this endless cycle of birth and death and attain Nirvana.. I hope you understand and will remember what I've just said."
We were all strangely quiet as we chewed on what we had just heard. I for one felt that this message was specially for me.
*"Khor" meaning "nun".
The doctor came to check Head Nun in the morning and gave her a clean bill of health. He said she could carry on with her usual activities in the temple but should not of course overdo it. All of us were extremely relieved.
Later when we sat down to lunch, Head Nun looked at us and said, "Birth, old age and death are a natural process. Where there is birth, there is death. Some of us may have heard the story of the woman who came to the Buddha in great anguish, carrying her dead child pleading him to bring the child back to life. The Buddha said "Bring to me a mustard seed from any household where no one had ever died and I will fulfill your wish." The woman's attempt to search for such a seed was in vain and of course she could not find any household in which no one had ever died and suddenly she realized the universality of death. True, the loss of someone we love is a painful event but we should not spend the rest of our lives feeling sorry for ourselves. Remember the impermanence of this life which we so much cherish and cling on to. Be kind, be compassionate. Most of all, do not lose sight of your goal, that is to end this endless cycle of birth and death and attain Nirvana.. I hope you understand and will remember what I've just said."
We were all strangely quiet as we chewed on what we had just heard. I for one felt that this message was specially for me.
*"Khor" meaning "nun".
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