Duty and Love

Life brings us to some difficult crossroads at times, some difficult choices to make, when what seems right in one plane seems not so in another, but then we all find the way. This is a story of two friends who were soldiers in opposing armies. They once had to fight in war against each other. As each of them fought for his country, it was not known to them that it was their last battle together. 

While looking through the objective lens of the rifle-scope as he shot the enemy soldier, who now stumbled after he was shot in the chest, Kay suddenly felt that the face of the soldier on the other side was familiar. He looked again through the rifle-scope to have a closer look at his face. It was his dear friend, Bill. He had shot a bullet at his dear friend! He knew if he would cross over to the other side to save him, he would be showered with bullets. Nevertheless, he rushed to save his friend, amidst the bullets raining from either side. There was a strong impulse to save Bill, despite him being on 'the other side'. Kay knew that as a soldier it was not the right thing to do, but to stay back didn't seem the right thing to do as a friend. He reasoned with himself, what am I? A soldier, a friend, a human? In that moment his life's choices ran in a chaotic film before the lens of his inner eye. He had Bill as a friend for over twenty years now, he recalled their moments together and then he came face to face with the fact that he had committed to fight for a country that was supposed to be bigger than either he or his friend on an individual scale. Yet this impulse to save Bill proved bigger than his commitment to his country. He could make no reason with this love for a friend, and rushed over to him. As he leaned over Bill's body, the dying soldier said, “If you have come to save your friend, go back, but if you have come to save a soldier from your enemy camp then save all people from my army and call cease fire.”

His friend replied “I have come neither as your friend nor as your enemy soldier but as a fellow human.”

“Oh great!” said the dying friend, “it cannot be true. In that case you would not be standing here and let my soldiers shoot your army. Go back man. Fight! Save your army”

Saying this, the wounded soldier died. Kay, cried for his lost friend, but was glad to be with him in his last moments. He could see the love behind Bill's last words. He was not in a position to call cease fire, and returned to follow the last words of his friend.

As he was returning, he recollected his friend's devotion to his country when he told him to call cease fire and save all of his fellowmen, and when he asked him to go back and save his army, he was a loving friend. He realized that, it wasn't that his friend, who too was a soldier, was not patriotic, he fought well for his country and did his part, but he never wanted his friend to lose face because of their friendship. How well Bill had played both his roles as a soldier and a friend! He realized how love knew no borders and the role of a soldier was merely an act that needed full performance and then departure to behind the scenes and be one once again beyond the role boundaries in a land that was not divided, where there were no two rulers to fight for, where only Oneness abides! All this and one great truth that Duty brings one to the highest ideals, but love takes one beyond high and low.

“Duty brings one to the highest. Love takes one beyond high and low.”