On Death and Life...

  •   Sat, Jan 28 2012
  •   By Dr Urban D'Souza

January 29, 2012

Death is a mystery; a secret, an end, a beginning, a punishment, a blessing, an unwanted thought lingering, though inevitable part of life!

Each one has his own imagination, thinking and understanding. Many of us including elders or seniors thought, this life is an eternity though back of mind we had a thought lingering ‘everyone has death’. Someone’s death news must have reminded/recalled us about death and whatever we are in this life of temporary journey, though someone’s death must have reminded us about our death but never touched our heart or mind that ‘I too die one day’. God has really done a wonder in blessing us all with a short memory about our death. May be as mentioned by others, God had a vision and mission to carry forward the World, or else every person including Carlos Slim, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Mittal, Ambani’s and Tata’s would have suddenly closed their march forward policy of development and may be World would have come to a status of limbo!

How beautiful is this World and all the attachments that we experience and enjoy and marching forward for a successful life? I recall my grandmother’s words who had lost my grandfather just in one and a half year of her wedding leaving behind one year old son my father! Any other woman when she was only 18 year old by age would have lost hope and courage and just returned back to her parent’s home and would have re married forgetting all her duties to her little son. As per her narration D’Souza family had lost five lives in a week for the contagious cholera much before independence of our country (year 1910 or 1912). Death, how sad it was wherein a family lost young and children together. But these deaths in the family never altered her determination and duties to her husband’s family and a fruit blessed in that family need to be raised with great difficulty. Without looking back, she toiled hard day and night in the farms which my grandfather left behind and rose her little son with all the values and education what she could afford. She never deterred anytime with the death and lived a full life of almost 80 years. Uneducated though, she gave education to her only child and from him five children were born and they are doing well.

As human beings each one of us are scarred of death; poor, rich, young, old, atheist or religious all are alike with regard to death. But the mystery is that, nobody knows when death knocks at his life? It need to be so as God had a mystical vision of taking this mother earth with full of development for the existence of life. Again it is proved well, though each one of us is aware of our death, the thought of our very death is very short lived as we have a very short memory of death. Many a time senior citizens are very much sensitive and scarred of death! The very fact of death is that, it does not have age or barrier; when it has to come it will sweep away as the best of any medical approach cannot save if it is destined.

Dear friends, why to bother with death? All of us know very well that we have to die. But the fear of death rather kills us repeatedly though we die only for once. Too much attachment to this world definitely makes us to die with great difficulty. Death will be difficult when we attach everything to our life, life clocks round our loved ones, material, wealth and duty bound thinking.

One of my friends grandfather wanted to fulfil his wish of fulfilling his great grandchild’s son’s marriage before his death. The very fact reminds each one of us, that when we were small, with awareness of surrounding, each one of us must have thought that I must live long and staged events, achievements along with it. Till my communion/munji/noolu, then as we fulfilled that, and then we thought I must live till I get my SSLC, then PUC, then a degree. Once I completed my degree, maybe I thought I must work few years, earn a post graduate degree. Then I thought I must live till I marry as in this life I have to experience marital life. Then came the wish of children, I must have children and raise the children to the best of my capacity. As I was blessed with children, question of educating the children, bringing them up with professional education, seeing them as prosperous professionals with name and fame. May be a doctor/Engineer/Chartered accountant/CEO’s/ Bollywood/Hollywood stars etc., then the wish of children’s marriage, grandchildren, and their future, great grandchildren and so on.

We keep associating ourselves with many reasons and responsibilities. As a normal human being, all these dreams and wishes are very normal but our minds always associate ourselves too heavily on worldly responsibilities wherein we are scarred of death. Though these wishes are normal, associating our life span with lot imagination and responsibilities shall make us to worry more and each one of us know that, life and death is not in our hand. Thoughts of death lingering our mind shall make us to enter the death lock repeatedly which shall enhance our fear and we may end up in facing death repeatedly though physically still alive.

Nobody can stop death; someone mentioned birth is accidental and death is inevitable. If birth was accidental, why so many couples who crave to have a child still do not get children? Each one’s thinking, imagination and perception of life/birth and death may differ! Death is surely inevitable but fear of death may aggravate the atmosphere and may worsen our life as we may end up with facing the horror of death daily. The very fact of temporary earthly stay if we understand thoroughly and apply a philosophical and dissociated mentality gradually as we advance with biological age, horror of death may be lessened in our life. As all of us know, death has no age, then why being senior citizen or very elderly one has to afraid of death?

When I associate more on my responsibilities, associations with material, emotional and physical bondages, horror of death shall surely engross my life and it may worsen not only my living but also my family member’s living. Simple lessons of gradual dissociation from bondages will definitely make our life better and that shall make our way for onetime death in life.

Unnecessary lingering of thoughts will bring a death phobia. I could recall a conversation about two year back when one of my friend, who is a charismatic prayer group member sharing one of his experiences. He happened to involve in a prayer service in a very elderly sick lady’s residence, who was in her death bed. As all the prayer group members prayed for hours together, this old lady who is above to get an eternal call, slowly opened her eyes and called this friend of mine near her and whispered in his ears, son can you please check in my coconut garden, see whether all those ripe coconuts are intact? These neighbour’s children always pluck my coconuts and I face such a big loss!! In few minutes her soul separated from her body and alas she expired! Such was our greed and association with material world my dear readers!

Dear friends, let us try to dissociate gradually from the earthly power, material, greed, emotion and proceed in this blessed journey keeping the option open as death is inevitable to each and every one of us. Haunting of fear of death rather worsen our day today living as death has no age, no boundary, religion, and partiality. When it is destined, it will snatch our life! Let us not afraid of it rather thought of death in our day today life, make us more human – empathetic to respond to the sorrows of our neighbours and environment. Death is inevitable!

 

Dr Urban D'Souza Archives:

 
By Dr Urban D'Souza
Dr Urban D'Souza is a Professor in School of Medicine, University Malaysia Sabah
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Comment on this article

  • Jerome dsilva, Udipi

    Tue, Jan 31 2012

    Immortality is man's figment of imagination and so is god. when life on earth dies it will be what what it before life ( before birth) .

  • ad, mangloor

    Mon, Jan 30 2012

    In death one lives in eternity. Does sound phylosophical. But the truth is, every creature and species of this earth which has life will die one day. For the so called human beings, death is daunting and scary because we value the earth and worldly material things of this earth during life time(only to leave behind) so much, we forget death. But death itself is not scary, what is scary is the aferthought of death from the loved ones, albeit the children you leave behind without knowing what is going to happen them particualarly if they are young and unsettled in life in this earth.

    Life is a journey to eternity and death is undieing realtionship with the creator. The realtionships which one develops in this material world are all temporary. As my mother once said"son, we dont carry anything with us while we go". How true and down to earth.The only relationship that counts is the permanent relationship one develops with GOD while on this earth. Its a trial ground. If one visits the grave, the inscription BORN-DIED dates are found. The dash is much more important because thats what the life is all about. Have we prepared ourselves this relationship with eternity? As the scripture says death will come like a thief, so all should be ready for it because it will come without any appointment.

  • Sharmila D'Souza, Mumbai/Abu Dhabi

    Mon, Jan 30 2012

    We need not fear death but believe the word of God because the Bible says in ECC 3:11(AMP)11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He also has planted eternity in men's hearts and minds [a divinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy], yet so that men cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.
    Also in Rom 2:7(Amp) 7To those who by patient persistence in well-doing [[a]springing from piety] seek [unseen but sure] glory and honor and [[b]the eternal blessedness of] immortality, He will give eternal life.
    So the original plan of God is not death, but LIFE. So do not fear death but seek Life and immortality, you will have it in Jesus Name.

  • L N Rego, Bendur

    Mon, Jan 30 2012

    Nice article different than what we usually read. Many a times we tend to question ourselves whats after death? I recommend you also read the book called 'The Laws of the Spirit World' Which can inspire people to lead an exemplery life.
    Nothing can replace Bible to lead an Courageous life,Grow in Faith and lead exemplary life

  • David Prakash D'souza, Niddodi/Abudhabi

    Mon, Jan 30 2012

    A very good article, but my views differ, death is not inevitable, of course no one wants to die, when there is death, there is sorrow, But God is Life, God wants Life on this earth, Jesus said I am the way, the Truth and THE LIFE. Now in your article you said of the fear of death, Heb 2:14,15(KJV)Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devilAnd deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
    As per the above scripture Jesus took death upon himself and destroyed him who had the power of death i.e.,Devil, So if you truely Believe Christ then death can be conquered, Since everybody is dying around no one has looked into this matter, But Jesus paid the price of sins, curses, diseases and DEATH,Rom 8:2(KJV)For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. If you can imagine only life, believe and proclaim from your mouth then death can be conquered, because THE POWER OF DEATH AND LIFE IS ON YOUR TONGUE.Prov 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. 2 Tim 1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and IMMORTALITY to light through the gospel:
    SO MY DEAR URBAN IMMORTALITY CAN BE YOURS, SPEAK.




  • Alban D' Souza, Udyavara Mumbai Doha Qatar

    Mon, Jan 30 2012

    Good article on death and life, a realistic view of life. Writer has mentioned his own experience which is notable.I also shared this same exprience as writers's brother. Death is not an end but the begining of new life, ie. Everlasting life with God. To attain this one has to die. So accept the truth and live.All the religions teach us to live a good life on earth to attain this glorious life. As per Hindu scriptures there are 4 stages of life. Janma, Karma,Kama, Moksha. In Christianity Jesus died to rddeem mankind from sin, but He resurected (rose from the dead on the third day) and there is no more death, We will rise one day gloriously and remain with God forever. This is our faith. This is our goal of life.

    To attain this live the good life in this world following God's teachings .It is dificult but if we stay with God every trials and troubles of life will be taken away, Because Almighty is the creator. He gives us life. The goal is clear. Toil till the end and all material things will vanish but the only the good things of life and actions remain and we triaumph gloriusly with God who forgives each and everyone of us if we remain with Him and repent. Let it be. Amen.(The example of Writer's grandmother's humble life on earth (Also my Grandmother)is really touching to each one of us.God bless.

  • Molly Munro, Dubai

    Sun, Jan 29 2012

    I was very sad today hearing the death of a known person in our neighbourhood, but your article lifted me up from my sad emotions and fears especially your last words in article which says : "Let us not afraid of it rather thought of death in our day today life, make us more human – empathetic to respond to the sorrows of our neighbours and environment. Death is inevitable!" Thank you so much for your genuine article.


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