Live and Die in Fullness
Reflecting on death will help us to live life better. Death for most people is a fearful, painful and an unwanted thing. Death is painful and fearful for those who have not realized the value of life and have not live life to its fullness. Death for most people means the physical death that is the departure of the soul from the body. However, death does not limit to the existence of matter but also death implies the spiritual, emotional or behavioural death. A coward can die many times while living. Dying while living is very painful, bitter and fearful and it is the cause of unwanted death to a person. Death is a natural phenomenon for those who are born. Dying while living is a common to people; it is not only the coward who faces death while living, but the way we deal with death matters. Coward will die while living and lead an unhappy life while a brave and determined person will face death and turn them to positive impact of life. Death of values at times helps people and at times destroys people.
Interview
The question that I ask them is, “what is your opinion about death and what is the secret that keeps you going in life?”
Below are some of the opinions I received from my friends.
1. Nanda Kishore
Nanda Kishore is a Hindu boy who is doing his CA (Articleship) in Mangalore. He is a pujari and a devotee of Sri Shi Raghaveshwara Bharati Mahaswamiji.
His view about death is;
“On the issue about death I completely agree with my Guruji's words. He once said, ‘Death is a gate from where either you come back as brand new, or you will reach your destination’. Death is not the end point I say. We faced death many times before and will be facing many times hereafter. Death just says, "Time up, you need to come again in a new name if you want to reach your destination" or "Congrats..!! You have done it, you need not come again". It is like a flight which will take off at a specified time, you need to finish all your work and get back to your place in that flight. This is not our first life; we can make it as a last one by achieving our Goal. We had life before birth, similarly we will be having life after death also. It is just to leave the body and to go to the other one. Just like you get a rickshaw to go to the bus stand from St Alloys and from there you get the bus to Bangalore, there you get train to your city. :):):) and sufferings are the blessings we get to purify our-self. It is like when we come to earth in this birth, we bring with us all our back profit and loss, just like our brought forward and carried forward. Whenever we get pleasure our profit goes down, and when we suffer, we reduce our loss. When both of our profit and loss get nullified and when we reach break even point we get the real happiness”.
Secret of life
It’s very simple; I surrender myself to the higher energy. This is the only way to lead our life peacefully. Take all the responsibility on your shoulders, as if you are the person who is responsible for everything; discharge your liability completely. And then once you finish, think that you are just the representative and are quit. Do not take any compliments; submit it to the higher energy (you can call it as God, Boss, or the superior). The secret of happy life is detachment my dear friend. Never attach yourself to the material things. Enjoy life but please be assured that your decedents are not disturbed by your lifestyle. That is the secret of life.
2. Gilbert Armstrong L. Marshillong
He was born on 22nd October, 1987. He has just completed MA (Pol) from NEHU University, Meghalaya. He has recently cleared the NET Exam in 2011 and so now he is teaching in a College. He is from Jakhong village in Meghalaya State, India. He belongs to Catholic religion.
His view about death is;
“Yearn to ‘Befriend with life and death’’’
“People who know how to live know how to die and a people who know how to die know how to live. To live life to its fullness a person need to befriend with life and death. A person should live life and go through hurdles that pass our way. A person should not be afraid to die because it is a part of life. Practically all matter has an expiry date and so our body is a matter and so it has to die. Life is a gift to begin life on earth and death is an invitation to begin new life in heaven. We need to accept life by rejoicing when there is joy and happiness and to face and fight boldly when there are difficulties and suffering. The more we remove, guilt feelings, selfishness, hatred, greediness, loneliness and other vices we will be able to accept life better”.
Secret of Life
He said, “God, Parents, siblings and friends”, is the secret that keep him going in life. He said, “I pray, study and work keeping in mind the people whom I love and needed my help, I feel I am great in front of them”.
3. Sr. Banshailang Mawlong AC
Sr. Banshailang Mawlong is an Apostolic Carmel nun. She is from Mawlyndep village in Meghalaya State, India. She is teaching in a School in Andaman and Nicobar Island.
Her view about death is;
“For me death is a meeting face to face with God. The real judgment will take place when we die and with all my hope for all that I have suffered and all the sacrifice I have made I am looking forward for that day. The day when we really meet god face to face that is in heaven. I have offered myself to God and to serve people so that I will die happily and with great fulfilment in life. Jesus is my spouse and my total union with my lover will be in the next life and not in this life. Death is not a fearful thing for me because I know that when I die, I am going to my beloved.
Secret of Life
She said, “The only thing which keeps me going is that one day God will judge us according to his judgement. All my hope in this world is nothing but eternal life in the world to come. That is how I live my life hopefully”.
Personal Reflection
What is the secret of my life? What keep me going in life?
The force that keeps me going in life is God and the goal that keeps me going in life is the desire to give back to God, through people, what I have received from Him. The question that keeps striking me is what can I give today? The more I can love and give my life will be better satisfied. I might not be able to give gold or silver at all times but I can always give a smile that cheer the hearts, the song that tune a person, the love that strengthened relationship, the touch that can feel the warmth and the words that can console and guide others. Life is given freely and so I need to share life with others freely. Love is given lovingly so I have to share the live to others lovingly. When I frown, criticize, hate, disrespect and think ill of others, I am doing it to myself because before it affects others it has already affected me first. When I love, help and smile at others it has affected me first. True happiness in life depends much in our inner attitudes.
My understanding about Death
Life is a gift of God to me and when the expiry date comes God will take back this gift to Him. My life is only a journey. Whether I live on this earth or die from this earth it will not bother me because my life will continue to exist with God. Just as I embrace life happily so also will I embrace death happily. I will live my life as if today is the first day, the best day and the last day in my life.
I don’t deny that I don’t want dead or I am scared of death. We all want to escape death if it is possible. Now I realize that if I want to escape death I should try to escape birth. I cannot escape from birth and so I cannot escape from death because it is a gift and design of God. Death should therefore be accepted meaningfully and joyfully. If I know that I am going to die soon and given the chance to spent my last days I would sing the song I compose, I would dance the rhythm I like, I would like to play the song l like, I would listen to the music I enjoy, I would complete to write the article or the book I have started, I would eat and drink with friends, I would meet my old friends and make new friends, I would read and write poems, I would mail and chat with my friends, I would continue to play the games and make fun with my friends and I would love and give more to people whatever I have. In brief I would continue to be what I am and do what I am supposed to do. However smile, love, give and create memories would dominate my way of life.
Life comes from God and has to go back to God. Death is a gift to begin a new life in heaven and death is not the end of life. When we go through birth, suffering and death we will experience resurrection and fullness in life. When we learn how to die we lean how to live. When we accept death as a friend we affirm life. We will not be afraid of death when we have no regrets, live an authentic and a genuine life, when we have something to die for and when we accept ourselves as we are. When we are not afraid of death we will begin to life a happy life. We need to have hope, faith and trust so that death will not be a painful thing but and acceptance of a new life. Unless we befriend death we cannot relish life. Life as if we never die and die as if we never lived.
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