Ruminative Musings on Life and Death
When I saw this quote for the first time upon the wall of the autopsy room in a hospital, I didn't bother to give it a thought. Petty normal psychology. No one wishes to talk or think about death except when it invites itself over to our kith or kin. But lately I have been thinking seriously about death. Don't get me wrong, it ain't any suicidal thought!
Thanatologists say, death is the cessation of life. Well then, what is life? No one have ever satisfactorily defined this. Theists hold that life is the extension of divinity to mortals while atheists proclaim it to be a random occurrence among other natural phenomena. Evolutionists back it up with experiments on biomolecules and big-bang explanations. Ask any physician, he describes life in terms of vital signs and laboratory reports. They all explain their take on life, which may or may not be the exact representation of life in all its vitality and vibrancy.
In this routine of living comes the uninvited guest—Death. It visits the rich and the poor, and the fool and the wise alike, and takes us all to the damp soil six feet beneath. Maggots and worms, which once we shunned, now becomes our companion, finally reducing us to a heap of dust. Soon we die in other's memories too.
And there ends the tale of a man.
Death is always untimely, we feel. Even those who wish to die would love to live if given a second chance in another setting. To this thing there is no doubt: life is precious to you and me just as it is for everyone else. It is but pure biological instinct to exist. We see it in nature—plants, trees, birds, fishes, humans and in every living thing. But once when we are given a chance to live, we take it for granted. That's nature, again. We never hold precious what we haven't earned and learnt the hard way. To be lost and found is the rule.
If death is so grim a reality that no one can escape, and if life is so precious a commodity that is to be carefully handled, then why waste this life upon petty preoccupancy? It is a question to be answered by everyone. We often spend life fretting about silly egos, sour relationships and lost love. Period. How wonderful will it be if we concentrate upon the finer beauties and blessings of life instead!
Life always throws in its share of both happiness and sadness. It's up to ourselves to balance the rod and to see a silver lining in every cloud. Mistakes do happen. No one is perfect. Show courage. Stand upright against obstacles. Challenge the wrong doings. Love unconditionally. Befriend liberally. Appreciate fellow beings. Encourage the weaker souls. Forgive your enemies. Support the needy. Do to others what you expect others to do to you.
Then when death beckons you some latter day, you can hold your head high and leave with heartful content for having achieved what living is really meant to be and having inspired others to live their lives on—just like a marathon runner hands over the baton and leaves off the track.
To sign off from life having donated the most, is the best of all departures a man can ask for. Oh yes, it's such deaths that delight to help the living!
Are you ready to die?
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