This too shall pass.

On most of the occasions human beings are worried about negative things that may never happen at all leaving the focus.
It is also true that our planning can avoid certain mishaps.
Stories in books may give a broad guide line for the right mind set and cannot solve real life problems.
A real life incident happened in Tiruchirapalli in 1960.I was studying in the college.
Just a week ahead of the daughter's marriage this incident happened.The girl's father was bringing up the parentless sons of his deceased brother.So it was decided to celebrate the upanayanam of the boys too along with his daughter's marriage.
Just four days before the marriage , one of the boys was buried in the deep sand of kollidam river in a bottomless pit( puthai manal) as he landed in an unsafe spot.
As ill luck would have it, the man's brother-in-law,(sister's husband) who was helping electricians for pandal decoration had a massive electric shock and passed away.Too grave deaths in the house, just overlooking marriage.
There was no miracle as that happens in stories.No God sent messenger.The brother-in -law and the boy had to be cremated.The bridegroom and his relatives were already on their way in the train from Delhi..In villages each one started airing his own opinion.No time to lament or brood over.
The marriage had already been cancelled twice due to various reasons.
The poor boy was weeping on oneside for his brother. The man's sister was lamenting for her husband's death. Rumours were already on that the girl as well as the bridegroom were unlucky and they have brought Yama even before Mangala Sutra was tied.

There was gloom when the marriage party arrived. Sambandhis felt that it was not practical to stop the wedding after making so many arrangements and they had no objection in conducting the marriage.The poor man had to focus on his daughter's marriage much against his wish as he had to ultimately think about his daughter's future rather than mourn the inevitable death.
My father and mother who were nearing 75 at that time gave lot of moral support and conducted Kannikadanam for that girl, as the father could not do so.
The girl, now a grandma of 75, lives happily in Delhi.
Though such simultaneous calamities are rarities, they teach us a lot.
There were initaial uproars and gossips.
As the Nadhaswaram sound was heard, all kept quiet.The same relatives and villagers who spoke ill of the father and avoided the function appreciated the man for his patient handling and unemotional approach.
Certain decisions have to be taken instantaneously inspite of being branded selfish and unsympathetic.
This too shall pass
Jayasala42