Life is but a Dream…

Row, row, row your boat,

Gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream…

What seems to be a very common English nursery rhyme to many, holds much more meaning to me. The depth and inner meaning of this rhyme has been questioning my mind for quite some time now.

 

Row, row, row your boat,

Gently down the stream.
 

What is the author trying to express in these two lines? At the first glance, it may look as if the author is merely speaking of a boat being rowed gently down the stream. On further analysis, if one looks closely, do we not see that the stream implied is not a mere stream, but the stream of Life? Your boat, meaning - Our boat – our life. Row, row, row signifying the efforts put in by us to sail ourselves through this life.

Summarizing the first two lines –

We cannot just sail through this life. We need to put in efforts to go in the right direction to steer ourselves on the path of the stream of Life. We should not be harsh or rash with our efforts, but rather, gently steer ourselves to keep ourselves on the right track.

Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,

Life is but a dream…

Merrily…not once, but mentioned and emphasized four times…to add a melody and a rhythm to life. The primary focus is happiness here. The author is urging us to go through life pleasantly and melodiously. Row your boat, but row it merrily; be slow and steady and know what you are doing while you sail the waters of Life. Enjoy your journey. Be happy always, come what may. Because in the end, you sail with the waters…like a dream…Life’s dream…Life being the dream itself. Today is a reality, we are a reality.

 

At the fag-end of life when we will look back, we will realize and be enlightened that it was just a dream that passed…while we are continuing on our way to the land of eternal dreams…

Yesterday was a dream. Today is a reality. Tomorrow is just another dream…

Life is but a dream…