Reflecting on D

D (death) is a topic we seldom talk about. Or if at all we talk, we talk it over for a short time and then move on to other immediate and urgent issues. Last few days, some of us have been constantly faced with or heard about deaths of many around us.

Last week, practically every day, one person would have been brought dead to our casualty. Elderly, neonates, young girls and middle aged. Maybe it is the severe cold around this part of the country, that they are unable to reach the hospital in time. In the middle of these, a middle-aged lady in her early 50s, known well to many of us passed away after a short spell of illness due to cancer, away in Western India. Then we had the untimely death of the young surgeon in Odisha, who was known to many of us. There was a young boy of 14 years with whom our team had spent time planning for his re-education (check my previous blog) who was brought in with suddenly hepatic failure and died in less than 24 hours. During these events, there has been elderly patients who are in their nineties sure to die recovering and going home. There have been birthday celebrations, wedding receptions, also going on.

So, life goes on amid death and dying around us, some of those deaths affect us much because they are people close to us. Others not much because they are not well known to us. And we tend not to dwell much on issues of death and dying since many of us (at least I am) are uncomfortable about reflecting much on this.

As we look around – we see varied responses. Some live in “denial”. Yes, we are aware that death is inevitable and there has been many who have been taken away from this world, we think, it will not happen to us immediately. We live in denial at this point of time and pushing thoughts on death and dying for another day, when it might come closer.

Some of us, are so busy with our self-protecting and self-promoting lives that there is no time think about death. Nations are very good in this. Millions of a neighbouring nation might die due to genocide, but nation would be busy protecting its borders. Many are running away as refugees and dying in transit, but nations are closing borders to protect and take care of their own interests.

Some others live in illusion – see life as “maya” and “illusion” and live with a fatalistic attitude. God will do what he wants, we cannot do much and so we live ‘detached’ lives. Patients relatives in our context use this argument much. No money, they will blame it on God pass the buck on to God who has ‘decided’ that nothing more can be done. We see this in all religions d cultures and we get affected by this majority cultural perspective of detached and lives based on “maya” and “illusion”.

Some others live resigned to the fact that life and death are inevitable and then move on to lead a passionless disengaged life. Life becomes a routine – the mundane takes precedence and they live to survive....

It is amid such events around us that we need to ask, how shall then we live? The good old book gives good advice and promises….To live well in the midst of death….

‘So teach us to number our days, that we may get us a heart of wisdom’ – Numbering and making each day count…..

‘Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is’ – Recognizing our roles in the days given to us and follow it with passion…..

‘And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the canker-worm, and the caterpillar, and the palmer-worm, my great army which I sent among you’ – and if some days are lost due to our foolishness allowing God to restore that in the days to come…..

I hope I will live well as I reflect on death…..