My friend of over three decades has a genetic heart problem. Two years back, a pace maker was inserted to support his erratic heart beats. He went in for voluntary retirement this year (five years prior to his regular retirement age). He retired well accomplished.
I met him recently. Our families were spending time together. He looked frail but his energy was high. He had taken up gardening on his four acres of farm land away from the city and built a modern farm house with all eco thrust (use of solar energy, organic farming, minimizing waste etc.). He had bought full grown trees at a premium, so that he could witness its bounty in the present. He was also planning to buy more land to gift it as a legacy to his siblings.
He had plans set in motion to financially look after his wife and was gifting generously to one & all he knew this Diwali season. I was really shaken by all these actions. It was as if my dear friend was running out of time and was making preparation to reach his final destination in a hurry.
It got me thinking – is it not true that with the passage of each day we are all coming closer to our final destination – death. So, why was this bothersome for me? My friend’s preparation unnerved me. I have so many plans for both our families – holidaying together, eating many meals together, laughing loudly, growing old together, celebrating the new born and so many more. And then my friend talks of limit of his time here, seems to be in a hurry to live life, wants so witness & experience as much as possible. He is the same but changed!
I spoke with some other friends about how this experience. They all were in unison – with all the cussing about life, each of us would want to continue living till we can. Death being too final one choose life whenever we can…. can we really?
