On Death and Dying

Recently, my close friend's grandfather passed away, which made me think a lot on death. So what is death? Is it some kind of transition of the so-called souls from a material world to a world of spiritual bliss? Is it something like a butterfly shedding its cocoon on its way to becoming something purer, much more beautiful?

It is said that death is but a covered bridge leading from light to light, through a brief darkness. We have life on one side and eternal bliss on the other. Everyone is born on this planet destined to fulfill a mission.. a purpose as some might put it. And for a man who has done his duty, death is just a long, natural sleep for him.

But there's another way of looking at it. Death is not the greatest loss in life. We dont even know whether there's another world out there waiting for our souls after they leave our oh-so-mortal bodies. Maybe when we die here, we are born in a different world, in a different time, at a different place... or maybe not. But the greatest loss is what dies inside us when we are alive. The celebration.. of being alive. How we tend to take things for granted. What if today was our last day on this planet.. Our concern must be to actually live while we're alive.

But unfortunately it's usually very late when we truly understand that our time on earth is very limited.. that we have no way of knowing that our time is up.. it might very well be today or 10 years down the lane.. who knows? It is only in such situations do we start living our life to the fullest.. as if each day were the last and the only one we had.. as if there will be no tomorrow. Some people have had the misfortune of not realising this fact at any point of their lives. People just want to earn shitloads of money, all of which they'll end up spending on treatment of their ailments that they suffer because of burnouts. Finally, they end up dying lonely and unsatisfied.

Sigh.. what has this world come to.. Quote of the day

Every man dies, but not every man really lives.

As E Cummings pointed out, the most wasted of all days is the one without laughter. And so here are a few funny lines which I happened to find on a medical student's blog

A Short History of Medicine
2000 B.C. - "Here, eat this root."
1000 B.C. - "That root is heathen, say this prayer."
1850 A.D. - "That prayer is superstition, drink this potion."
1940 A.D. - "That potion is snake oil, swallow this pill."
1985 A.D. - "That pill is ineffective, take this antibiotic."
2000 A.D. - "That antibiotic is artificial. Here, eat this root

lol..
Celebrating life.. This is the optimist reporting from the netherworld.. over and out.

P.S: Well, I have never seen either of my grandfathers and in those terms you are lucky. Dont cry because it's over, laugh because it happened.. and this is for you..

Do not stand at my grave and weep

I am not there, I do not sleep

I am a 1,000 winds that blow

I am the diamond glints on snow

I am the sun on ripened grain

I am the gentle autumn rain

When you awaken in the morning's hush

I am the swift uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circled light

I am the soft star that shines at night

Do not stand at my grave and cry

I am not there; I did not die.

--Mary Frye