Nothing remains

Kahlil Gibran says Nothing remains save the particles of love created by your beauty and the beauty your love brings to life. Leo Tolstoy in one of his short stories tells us about an angel who was punished by God as he went against destiny and decided at his own will to not take the life of a woman whose time had arrived. The angel tried to save the womans life because he was moved when he knew that she was destined to die on giving birth to twins. I woudn't want to narrate the complete story right now but some relevant parts of the story, yes. The angel was asked to spend some time on Earth as a normal human being and told to return back as an angel only when he knew what men live for. The angel works for many years as a cobblers assistant. One day, a rich man came inside and ordered a pair of shoes to be worn on a special occasion 6 months from that date. The rich man promised to punish the cobbler if there happened to be any mistake in the making of the shoes from the finest leather. But what happens then is that the rich man dies in the carriage because of a massive heart attack. The angel learnt that man can never tell what his needs are. Then what does man live for? To cut a long story short, the angel finally realises that man can only love for that is what he can live for, to love and to enrich others by his love.... and when he does the rest of the picture falls into place.