Death and Random Midnight Thoughts.
Death is a scary thing. Firstly, the way you might die — a car crash, an accident, prolonged illness, or after a ripe old age, peacefully passing away in sleep. Second, the feeling of slowly slipping away from your loved and dear ones, bit by bit wiped from their consciousness. Third, would there be a heaven or hell? Would someone hold you accountable for every action, every deed, every statement? Or would there just be silence?
And the last, and the most important of all. The feeling of non-existence.
We want to leave an impact, a mark on the world. The desire to be known and remembered by everyone, when you are alive and especially when you are dead, is overpowering. But the wise ones, they know to tread lightly. Who are we, puny little beings against the entire colossal universe- to leave a mark?
Of course, we leave a mark. Of course, we are all remembered. Everybody does. Just not in the ways that matter. Your family would remember you, perhaps, as the relative who always had the best chocolates lying around, your friends would recall your quiet sarcasm at unexpected intervals, and would smile, in spite of themselves.
A 25-year-old, who you’ve known since they were a pesky little monkey, would remember you as the uncle whose window panes they broke while playing cricket, who would threaten to complain and never give them the ball, but would quietly drop it again, the grocer in your street might remember your usual Thursday evening shopping — ‘2 kg potatoes, 1 kg onions please’. And maybe the poor woman, who you often gave away your hand-me-downs might remember the way you helped her with money when her son was sick.
And maybe, just maybe, these are the only ways that matter. Every person remembers you in a unique way. These traits, these anecdotes, the way you behaved — these are what people will remember you by.
Death is a scary thing. But it isn’t in our hands. Life is. So, for life’s sake, make the best of it while you can.
