Bill Gates and his wife Melinda are divorcing. In this grave pandemic situation, Newspapers are obsessed with how their wealth ($143 Billion) will be divided between the two. I immediately thought of what Alexander the Great said when he was about to die.
On his death bed, Alexander summoned his generals and told them his three ultimate wishes:
The best doctors should carry his coffin.
The wealth he has accumulated (money, gold, precious stones) should be scattered along the procession to the cemetery.
His hands should be let loose, hanging outside the coffin for all to see.
One of his generals asked him to explain the reasons. Here is what Alexander the Great has to say.
I want the best doctors to carry my coffin to demonstrate that, in the face of death, even the best doctors in the world have no power to heal.
I want the road to be covered with my treasure so that everybody sees that material wealth acquired on earth, stays on earth.
I want my hands to swing in the wind, so that people understand that we come to this world empty handed and we leave this world empty handed.
While I was writing this post, the following landed in my inbox. HaHaHa
Fortunately, in India, divorce is quite rare.
ReplyDeleteDestination Infinity
Thanks for your comments Rajesh. You think so?
DeleteA good anecdote you shared about Alexander. Very true. We all may be whoever. But we are all just human beings.
ReplyDeleteIt think it is just natural there is so much of curiosity about their wealth, since they are among the richest in the world. Though we don't have to bother; they will figure out what to do with it!
Thanks for your comments Pradeep. As you said they will figure out what to do with it and it is none of the news medias business.
DeleteSpecially this pandemic has taught us that money can’t buy everything, we have to go back to our moral values.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Renu. You are correct.
DeleteWhen nobody knows what happens tomorrow I feel so pathetic looking people who are greedy , egoistic etc etc . Just don’t know what to say . Things are crazy around me here
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Shilpa. Things are crazy every where all over the world.
DeleteEveryone is obsessed with such high-profile cases!
ReplyDeleteIt is their personal decision.
There are memes showing other famous personalities, who want to cash on the now-single-status of Melinda Gates!
You have correctly shared Alexander, the Great's, last words.
Have read this a couple of times before in social media.
Don't know if this is a real story or a means to glorify him now.
Nevertheless, the words are true.
Thanks for your comments Anita. You are absolutely correct. It is their personal decision.
DeleteTrue, as Shilpa said, some hold on to their ego, what purpose, who will care and who will value?
ReplyDeleteI had read somewhere-don't remember exactly-Alexander the Great, met a Hindu saint and threatened him that he would kill him for not respecting the former. The said burst into laughter and said you cannot kill me, you can tatter my phsique. I am not my body, I am Atma.So, I am least bothered.
The saint burst...
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