By Stanzin Dawa
Reema (15-01-1985 to 02-07-2003) “I know you are not around. Whom shall I wish your 21st birthday? If listening come to my dream tonight and hug me. Be honest to your papa. I am begging only for a hug. Please Virinder Mainee” extracted from Sunday Times of India dated 15th of January 2006. My eyes got glued and moistened by the remembrance column containing the above message from a loving father to his daughter who is no more in this world but still alive in his heart. The black and white passport size photograph of Reema was so captivating. The big eyes, beautiful smile and calmness on her face can easily freeze one’s vision. How death could be so cruel for such a beautiful girl? She had yet to see many things in this world, what about her dreams and aspirations? Some of her friends must be working, some might have got married, some must be pursuing further studies but Reema is no more with us. Neither Reema was my relative nor was known to me; but her picture and obituary messages shook my consciousness about the uncertainty of my own life. It compelled me to rethink about the purpose of my life and my dreams. As life is uncertain and death is certain and above all the circumstances of death is becoming more unpredictable. The causes of death are many but the causes of life are few and sometimes even the causes of life become the causes for death.
We all are in this world for a limited number of days, weeks and years. In another 100 years almost everyone those who presently exist in this world won’t be alive. Although we know that we are going to die one day, we do not really let our attitudes to life be affected by the ever-present possibility of dying. We still spend our life hoping and worrying about the future, as if we are going to live in this world forever. We stay completely involved in our struggle for power, status, wealth and fame; suddenly the death enters without any murmur or sigh. If there is rebirth according to some religion we might be born again in this world or in some other world with the virtue of our Karma. Like Reema we all have to bid good-bye to this world but we don’t know when, where and how we will encounter death. Nothing is going to help us in the last journey, the power, wealth, status, fame, family and friends can simply watch our last journey. Death cannot be fought off by any warrior, ordered away by the powerful, or paid off by the rich. Death leaves nowhere to run to, no place to hide, no refuge, no guide. People close to us may remember us for some years.
Two types of people can be very close to us, firstly those who love us and secondly those who love to hate us, gradually they will forget because they have many things to do in this world as after all they are also a part of the whole drama with their own respective roles. They will be busy in playing their own roles to adjust with the life. When we are already aware that whatever is born is bound to perish, whatever goes up are bound to fall, whatever has built are bound to collapse. When the world is already impermanent and the beings living in this world are also impermanent.
Why do we need Atom bomb or weapon of mass destruction? Why do we fight in the name of religion, politics, caste, race, sex and nationality? Life is like a flower and love, care and peace are the fragrance. It makes our life beautiful and worth living happily. This life is a great opportunity to transcend our love and concern for others. Man has always tried to conquer nature but failed to live in harmony with the nature. We must think less about conquering nature and more about learning to work and live with nature. Each person must realize his interdependence upon the rest of the nature including his own fellow human beings while remembering his own impermanence.
