Short essay on We live in Deeds. Not in Years (free to read). A long life is not a sure sign of greatness. A short life full of activity and constructive work is better than a long unproductive life.
Ben Johnson has rightly said, “In short measures, life may perfect be”. He compares and contrasts a short-lived lily and an oak which lives for hundreds of years. A lily offers non-peril beauty for a day, with which it captivates the hearts of the beholders. But an oak is ugly and wooden. Its large size or long life is poor substitutes for a lily’s beauty. A rainbow offers beauty for a short period. The same is the case with dew-drops, sun-rise etc. But they leave an indelible impression upon the heart, such that we realize that “A thing of beauty is a joy for ever.” Beauty is nine days’ wonder. But its impress upon the mind is ever-lasting.
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Most of the great men of the world led short lives. Such were Swami Vivekananda and Guru Go binds Singh. The great poets like Byron, Shelley and Keats died in early life. Even Shakespeare and Alexander Pope did not lead very long lives. But can humanity ever forget them? Many young men like Sadder Bharat Singh, Sadder Durham Singh and others lost their lives when they were quite young. They gave up their lives for the sake of our country. A short life spent in the service of humanity is better than a long life spent in a self-centered sequestered corner.