Two ships were once seen near land. One of them was leaving the harbour, and the other was coming to it. Everyone was cheering the outgoing ship, giving it a warm send-off. But the incoming ship was hardly noticed.
Awise man standing nearby exclaimed at the people’s reaction. “Rejoice not” he said, “over the ship that is setting out to sea, for you know not what destiny awaits it, what storms it may encounter, what dangers lurk before it. Rejoice rather over the ship that has reached port safely and brought back all its passengers
in peace.”
lt is the way of the world, that when a human being is born, all rejoice; but when he dies, all sorrow. It should be the other way around. No one can tell what troubles await the developing child on its journey through life. But when a man has lived well and dies in peace, all should rejoice, for he has completed his journey successfully and he is departing from this world with the undying crown of good name.