Spirituality at the expense of earthly duties?

I've a friend of mine who is into meditation and spirituality, these days. He was the gregarious sort who enjoyed the good things of life, earlier. About a decade back, his heart had misbehaved and it was then that he had decided that enough was enough!


He has a 'Master' to guide him through his spiritual voyage and sincerely adheres to his directives that he receives from time to time. Steeped in the worldly life and its consequent pressures myself, I must confess that he's become very boring and I pull his leg by saying that if he'd made me his master he'd have been otherwise!


Jokes apart, I find that I haven't finished living my life to the fullest and I still enjoy my drink, sitting on my favourite rocking chair listening to exquisite music, perhaps a ghazal! True confirmation that I've miles to go before my 'graduation' in life!!


But coming back to the narrative of my spiritual friend I was aghast to hear that he'd refused to carry out the last rites of his mother, who'd died due to an advanced state of the Parkinson's Syndrome, as he was into spirituality! He happens to be her eldest son and she was extremely fond of him as I remember. I find no rationality in this sort of behaviour and felt immensely sad and confused about the stance that my friend had taken.


Am I being ignorant about life? Or is it that people, like this friend of mine, forget to live because of their misconceptions about life?


Tailpiece.

1. May the old lady rest in peace in her eternal life. And having known her, she'd have long forgiven her son for his follies!
2. I'm of the firm belief that when one completes one's earthly duties, one attains spirituality!!

PS.
And as I say again and again, I do not require an usher to guide me to my God. I shall attain Him, my fumbles and my bungles notwithstanding!!!