In the end, we all have to go. And those who
have known us, will only be left with memories. So, we might as well live our
lives fully, happily and touch as many lives as we can in this lifetime!
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| 3-year-old Arshea bidding Major Mukund Varadarajan goodbye Picture Courtesy: The Major's Family/Internet |
India
lost a brave son a few days ago – Major Mukund Varadarajan, 32, of the 44th
Battalion of the Rashtriya Rifles. He was killed in an encounter with
terrorists in Shopian, Kashmir, on April 25. The papers have been full of
public anger and grief, even as his family has remained stoic and patient –
despite the media frenzy and all the VVIP attention they have been receiving. A
while ago, I spotted this picture on facebook on Major Mukund’s wall. The
caption said it all: “Daddy’s Little Princess. Final goodbye. Arshea at the
Besant Nagar crematorium.” There was another picture too – of Indhu, the Major’s
wife, receiving his uniform from one of his colleagues. And the caption said: “All
that remains are memories and these.”
I
kept looking at the pictures for a long, long time. They drove home a truth
that is hard to miss. When it’s our time, we too will have to go. It is
inevitable. But the question is, will we have lived a full Life by then –
completing whatever we have always wanted to accomplish? Will we have made a
difference to the lives of people in our circle of influence? What kind of
memories will we have left behind?
These
are significant questions that can make a huge difference to the way we look at
Life. And, hopefully, change the way we think, live, work and love. We must understand
that we have not been created on this planet to be running on a treadmill
forever. This Life has to be lived – not just to earn hard now to live another
day; but it has to be lived fully, enjoying each moment of it thoroughly. Death
must not be feared nor should we be sad or overwhelmed by it. Death is an
inevitable reality – and all of us, without exception – from the time we left
the womb, have been heading for a certain death. The process can take time,
days, months or even years, and exceptionally as in the case of Khushwant Singh
(1915~2014) and Zohra Sehgal (1912~she turned 102 this past Sunday), even a century!
But none can avoid it. So, when you understand Life, death can actually be an inspiration,
because every time we see death around us it reminds us of the opportunity we
have to live – when we can! As Osho, the Master says, “Death is
your constant shadow. It is telling you – ‘I can come any moment. Be prepared.’
And what is the preparation? The preparation is:
live life so totally, so intensely, be so aflame with it that when death comes
there is no complaint, there is no grudge.”
Yes, we will have lived well, lived a
brilliant Life, when we can go away calmly, without struggle – either for us or
for those that we leave behind.
A poignant piece Avis sir - it just makes me wonder - what have I done in these past 32 years that I have lived on this earth - did I make the world a better place? Did I help someone without expecting anything in return? Did I do something good other than what societal and familial responsibility expected me to do? I don't know sir - frankly I don't know - makes me wonder - who will cry when I die? A very scary reminder that I have not done anything of significance so far! A timely reminder thanks sir!
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