If it is not my portion to meet thee in this my life (Song 79) by Rabindranath Tagore
If
it is not my portion to meet thee in this my life then let me ever feel that I
have missed thy sight - let me not forget for a moment, let me carry the pangs
of this sorrow in my dreams and in my wakeful hours.
As
my days pass in the crowded market of this world and my hands grow full with
the daily profits, let me ever feel that I have gained nothing - let me not
forget for a moment, let me carry the pangs of this sorrow in my dreams and in
my wakeful hours.
When
I sit by the roadside, tired and panting, when I spread my bed low in the dust,
let me ever feel that the long journey is still before me - let me not forget
for a moment, let me carry the pangs of this sorrow in my dreams and in my
wakeful hours.
When
my rooms have been decked out and the flutes sound and the laughter there is
loud, let me ever feel that I have not invited thee to my house - let me not
forget for a moment, let me carry the pangs of this sorrow in my dreams and in
my wakeful hours.
If
it is not my portion to meet thee in this my life then let me ever feel that I
have missed thy sight - let me not forget for a moment, let me carry the pangs
of this sorrow in my dreams and in my wakeful hours.
The
song shares feelings of sadness, loneliness, and the ache of being apart.
Tagore feels sorrow because he knows he can't meet his beloved God while he's
on earth. He wishes to hold on to this memory of separation, never letting go
of the pain of being far from God. Even when life brings him success, the
sadness of missing God leaves him feeling empty inside. He believes he has a
long journey ahead and that this restless feeling will always remind him of his
separation from God. Even in moments of joy, he feels the ache within. Laughter
and music only make him realize that he hasn’t invited God into his life.
The
poet understands that becoming one with God, the almighty, isn’t possible in
our earthly bodies. He wants to remember this loss and keep his goal of uniting
with God close. He believes that happiness from achievements, wealth, and
pleasure shouldn’t pull him away from his longing for the spiritual world. In
everyday life, he wants to keep feeling this loss, so that worldly pleasures
don’t overshadow his love for spiritual joy. He misses God deeply and feels the
pain of this separation.
 by Rabindranath Tagore){kind=link}