January 27

“Bereavement ceases to leave us desolate when the death of our dear one only spurs us on to a more vivid consciousness of our duty.”

–Gandhi (Letter to Devdas, 7-24-1918, from Day to Day with Gandhi, vol. 1, p. 196)

In a magnificent letter from 1918 to his son, Devdas, who was grieving the loss of a friend, Gandhi reveals his deep conviction about life and death. He tells his son that we are not our bodies alone–and it is the body that undergoes a transformation at the time of death. The spirit does not change. More than a consolation that we should not fear death, this is meant as an encouragement that we should remember the brevity and ephemerality of our lives, hence turn more deeply to the duties we have before us to carry out while living. Death is only victorious if it stops us from caring about one another, and acting to bring about more justice in the world. Gandhi is not saying to his son not to grieve, he is telling him to nobly channel his grief into purposeful action that honors the life of his friend.

Experiment in Nonviolence:
Do something noble and kind today for a loved one who is no longer “in the body.” Contribute to a cause that she or he espoused, or support someone she or he cared for.

Daily Metta 2015, a service of the Metta Center for Nonviolence, is a daily reflection on the strategic and spiritual insights of Mahatma Gandhi in thought, word and deed. As Gandhi called his life an “experiment in truth,” we have included an experiment in nonviolence to accompany each Daily Metta. Check in every day for new inspiration. Each year will be dedicated to another wisdom teacher.