Loved ones, dead ones

Why is it that the ones we love, have to die? (Why is it that anybody has to die - you say). And why do the dead ones leave so many memories behind? - Not all of them are sweet - some are perhaps, so bitter that they colour our thoughts whenever we think of the departed. And yet, the sweetness is to the bitterness just as the flowing river is to the incoming tide - overwhelming.
Death comes to all, say the Scriptures - whatever is created, must get destroyed one day. Actually, do we really need the Scriptures to tell us this?
And yet, after grinding the Scriptures through a lifetime, one still has the same reaction to death: why O God, Why?
Why is it that these people, who dreamt so much for you, and for whom you dreamt so many dreams, have gone away before they could see their fulfilment?
And why, o why, do they have to come back in your dreams, night after night, even in your afternoon siestas, always smiling, looking as they did before their disease, consoling you, talking to you about various things, when you never ever dreamt of them when they were alive?

On Evil

Yes, Evil exists. I, a Seeker, have come face to face with it. Today, I escaped. Tomorrow, I may not. Whosoever sees this, be warned. It could be your turn to receive a visitation tomorrow.
A certain amount of endemic Evil is within everyone. Manifest Evil is, however, different. Its power lies in its ability to "twist" the mind. Remember those "Harry Potter-ian" movies where the Devil/Evil Force/other negative overlord character comes to the hero(ine) in the form of his near and dear ones and he/she is swayed (or seems to be)? "It's not real, stupid! It's just a disguise! Don't listen to it!" we thought. It turns out, it's very similar in real life - we are the protagonists here - and many of us, manytimes, are a lot more stupid than those movie characters.
Sometimes we escape, sometimes we don't... we don't realise the evil that is within us, because we are used to it. Only when something out of the ordinary happens, a great surge of Evil, as it were, occurs inside us, that we feel its power.
To fight this Evil, possibly our strongest power is the one that seems the most useless - Habit. Yes, the force of our habits could enable us to fight the Devil himself, if he existed. Habit comes to our aid, even when our reasoning, will, strength of mind etc. all have failed. Therefore, it is well to inculcate Good Habits at a young age. Devotion to Truth, Celibacy, Non-covetousness, constant Activity, Meditation etc. are some such Good Habits.
It may be very difficult to completely eradicate the Evil inside us or to become proof to its attacks. However, for our spiritual as well as worldly long-term success, it is necessary to make efforts as best as we can.
For those incredibly pure (and lucky) or unobservant ones who have never felt the force of manifest Evil (perhaps few have, as I did), all this might seem like a sermon, but please be warned...