Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Time, it moves on!

The original post for today was a shift from the life themed posts, and an effort to move back into business writing: The flimsy plastic bag. 

Father Time, had other plans, he decided to take him away.

Like most eighty three year olds, he too supported his body with a few medicines, however, the mind was young and allowed him to stand tall and proud. He had every reason to be proud for he had raised his family, his grand kids and now had the pride of seeing and raising his great grand kids too. Never once did I see him frown, always a smile and a stately wave.  Last night was different though. Amongst the bright lights of a fire truck and ambulances, his soul left this materialistic world to move on to a happier place.  Met his wife of sixty three years in the morning, she carries forward his legacy of standing tall and proud. She told me it was instant, less than three minutes and it was all over.

Lighting a candle in his memory.
Stand tall, Be Proud and Smile. 
I didn't know what to say. I sat there looking dumb and speechless. Somehow, rhetoric sentences; he's in a better place, he went peacefully and such seemed meaningless. I sat there looking at her and admiring her composed poise. She had tears and yet managed to ask me how my kids were doing with a smile. Such composure comes only when one has realized a content life and attained a level of freedom that most dream about. 

A few relatives came and respecting their privacy, I offered my help and exited, surprisingly not with a heavy heart, but a reassurance that she will be okay for she continues to be surrounded by life. 

At such moments, often, we wish, if only time had stopped, if only time would return. With the advent of the western calendar we have been trained to think of time as a linear function. Time is anything but linear.  "To stop" would be an antithesis to time.  Time is continuity. Moving on and never stopping is its nature.  

My paternal grandfather taught me, to never ever wish for time to stop.  He said, "just imagine, what would happen to those who were going through a bad time, and time decided to slow down or stop?" He was a wise man. Thank you for teaching me to always wish for time to keep moving so the good times can continue and the bad times can move on to make way for the good times. 

Don't save that dress for a special occasion, wear it today, for today is the present. Don't wait for next monday to go to the gym, go today for the "next" monday will always be a week away. Don't postpone a vacation because you need to save, plan that vacation, memories are built by moments and not money.  Don't wait for that perfect moment to propose, do it now, so tomorrow you can be together to enjoy life.  Live today. 

Ending this post with prayers for the departed soul to rest in peace and for the family left behind to  continue and celebrate their lives with his smiles.  

He was my neighbor of six years and this is my tribute to him. 


2 comments:

  1. In moments like these we realise how transient time is, within seconds your destiny, your whole life course can change, sometimes for the better, sometimes irreparably. But change is the only constant.Knowing this itself is so liberating, live life with no grudges, no strings attached, reach out to others,build those bridges.

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    1. "Reach out to others, build those bridges." Love it. And totally agree Ruma. Very well said.

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