I don’t really know whether that title suits what I am writing under it or not, but what the heck I liked and I lifted it from some tv sitcom titled ” life as we know it”. The past week has had me travelling to fro, home to Hyd and back within a matter of few hours, and those few hours spread over sunday and monday changed the life as i knew it, well there I am trying to justify that title somehow.
I was home for the weekend thats the 5th august, to attend the christening ceremony of my neice, and I was so suprised to see the tremendous change in her from the last time when I was home, kids do grow up very fast. She was absolutely adorable and so cute an angel, and, yes she has become the soul and life of the family, the things a new life can do, make each one of us a better person than what we are. The lil Angel has been named “Kshirin” which apparently is a Hindu name but some say its Parsi, but, who cares it suits her to the T it means “Flower”, it also was a perfect solution for the parents wish having a rare and unique name atleast within the family circle. It certainly was exotic as wished, for it was far far away from the run of the mill regular Gods names.
Happy with the name and the little respite I got from work I set out the same evening that is the Sunday evening for Hyd and back to the mudane humdrum of regular life at work, but just when I entered the outskirts of Hyd on mnday morning I get the sad news of my Uncle’s sad demise at about 4.30 am monday morning. The man died in his sleep peaceful and devoid of any pain in those last few hours all physical symptons at normal, though he has been through hell the last few months with daily dialysis with two failed kidneys etc. I reached just in time to pay my last respects to a man loved and respected by all in the family and also had the honour being one of the pall bearers.
The first time in my life I was seeing a dead human at close quaters and someone I knew so well and had such fond memories of, he was the one who accompanied me when i joined boarding school as a kid, he was the oe who itrduced me to and kept me in the care of my first friend ,my best friend, he always helped me fill all my application forms where ever i was applying, a small sentiment that his doing so brought me luck. It was hard to be believe he was no more admist us , but then we did swallow that pain for we were in a way glad he was rid of all the suffering and humiliation that two failed kidneys can cause.
During all these things I did notice one fascinating thing, I observed that the greatest soothing balm for my widowed and the rest of the family was the grandkids all tiny tots , babies, their antics made everyone forget the grief. ” How the new life , lives which are just starting out can make the difference when one life as passed on”……it amused me no end this strange thing playing before my very eyes. Also i admire the courage and strength my cousin brother showed he didnt shed copious tears and remain gloomy all through the ceremonies he was like the Buddha..calm and peaceful chanting the gayatri mantra, so that his father’s soul may rest in peace, and same goes to my aunt also.
May God bless his soul and May God guide the precious lifes of all those kids who made a difference unwittingly through their ignorance of Death…..
