The END!

Today morning I got the news that one of my father's closest associates, his Personal Assistant, someone who worked with him for nealry 19 years was no more. For me, it was a huge personal loss as I knew him since I was 14 years old and he saw me go through tremendous vicissitudes in life.

Just 2 months ago, I met him in Mumbai - he had been diagnosed with Blood Cancer. I spent nearly 3 hours with him trying to convince him that when it comes to battling an illness, the fundamental attitude of the patient determines everything. And I was extremely happy to see as I was leaving that he was determined to fight and win over his Cancer. True to his determination, he showed tremendous grit and determination and won over his Cancer. The Doctors were astonished at his recovery. He was even contemplating joining work back with my father. But then just 10 days back, he contracted pneumonia. In Blood Cancer, one's immunity becomes very low and pneumonia proved lethal and he passed away today morning.

An amazing man, who won over Cancer yet fell to pneumonia.

In Buddhism, death has profound significance. Once a disciple asked the Buddha why there is death. According to the fable, the Buddha calmly replied that the correct question to ask is why there is birth - thereby implying that death happens because birth happens. Buddhism infact believes in the eternity of life in the cosmos - there being no beginning to life and no end to life. For us common mortals who observe life and death around us on a continuous basis, this can be mind - boggling. How in the word can I believe in the eternity of life when it seems like such s theoretical concept. Moreover, isn't the world full of people who believe "it's one life".

While such thinking may make sense at one level, if we really sit down and contemplate, there is nothing that can explain the difference that one sees in the lives of people around us. We are all born in diferent circumstances with differences in looks, fortune, health etc. Is life just a casual meaningless phnomenon that is existing as an accident or is there some underlying purpose, a method to all this maddness? Philosophies like Hinduism and Buddhism talk about the theory of karma. And if we were to think about it, it does make sense. Doesn't cause and effect operate even in day to day life? Then maybe it can be believed that in some form that we cannot understand, it may be operating accross life and death.

Coming back to Ashwaniji, my father's Personal Assistant. While today I mourn his loss and the fact that I have lost someone who was so familiar to me, I feel proud that he won over something we all are so scared of - an illness like Blood Cancer. While he may not have been a celebrity like MJ who's death the world mourned, I feel he displayed something extremely profound with this life and in his next life time, he would certainly be born a much higher soul!

And it again brings me back to a point that is increasingly becoming clearer over the years - who knows how long I may have in this present life and as the person I exist right now. Might as well use my time to make the best possible causes and leave this world a better place!