http://www.linkedin.com/in/manjula-arora-742b6581http://www.linkedin.com/in/manjula-arora-742b6581http://www.linkedin.com/in/manjula-arora-742b6581                                                               Doing or Dying

You might be wondering what has intrigued me to pen down on this topic. Do you think I am turning old? No, no, no… it’s not the question of turning old…. I feel I am maturing and inwardly growing.

During this COVID-19 period, we have all felt death very closely. We have heard experiences of our close ones, be it our friends, relatives, colleagues, or someone in the remote corners of our country/ world. It has made us realize the transitoriness of life. I have often been reminded of John Keats’ poem ‘To Autumn’… ‘Where are the songs of Spring, Ay, where are they” Wherein the poet indirectly talks about the ephemeral nature of human life with the analogy of nature which is also not permanent but reassuring. The continuous process of Sunrise and Sundown and the rotation of the Earth with the changing of seasons trigger us with a thought that life doesn’t stop… It moves on.

Death is inevitable. Why fear it? We need to make the best of this life. It is Death for us when we are not adding anything to our life/ or not adding values to other’s life, be it in the life of our family members, friends, colleagues or society at large. I would like to quote Retd Brig Chitranjan Sawant “I would love to live for 100 years, but not cribbing and spending life in bed, but living a meaningful life where I would be serving humanity”. I also second Brig Sawant’s thoughts. Inactive life is death in itself. Stagnating ourselves for not utilizing our knowledge, skills, experiences is death in itself.

Simply living a long life and living a rich and rewarding life carries a lot of difference. The important is as to how much can we improve the quality of our life during our stay on this planet. No matter how short our life be but should be productive and fulfilling. Each day we should cherish in our hearts a shining purpose and reason for living, that fills our life with profound satisfaction and fulfillment of doing something worthwhile.

A great wise man from Rome once said, “work is the finest nutrition for the spirit.” I have seen many people who age very quickly after they retire. They lose the excitement and interest that work provided them. Life is to move on—find some work to contribute to society, rather than sitting idle.

‘To Autumn’ holds its relevance to human life. “Think not of them, thou has thy music too” Like young age, the old age has its own (music) charm. Make life interesting by doing something or the other...The fear of Death should not deter us from our path. Autumn is the season of plenty, the culmination of growth. So is each moment of life. Life for each one of us is like a canvas. What is important is to fill our canvas in our own style and to our own satisfaction with all our heart. Making full use of life in a fruitful manner and spreading happiness to others would add color to life.

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