Life

As I sit in my chair with a sprained knee, torn ligaments and a muscle tear with not much work and lots of idle time, myriad thoughts crossed my mind. On one hand was the nostalgia of the time that flew, and on the other was the uneasy motivation of the time that has not yet arrived. Last November, I suffered a personal loss that can never be repaired. I did not just loose my uncle but in fact lost a friend, a guide, or simply put - a part of me. A number of such incidents over the past few months have helped me put life in the right perspective. Sometimes we get involved in our work to an extent that we begin to believe that work indeed is our life. However, it is NOT. In the midst of conference submissions, research progress, and university life, we tend to forget that after all there exists a life beyond all this. Many a times, we take things and sometimes even life for granted only to realize how shallow our thinking can be.

I am neither a philosopher nor a religious prophet, and I am sure even if I was the most wise person, I would never be able to answer the questions - 'what is life?', 'why are we here?', ' where are we in the bigger scheme of things?'. In the midst of this chaotic thoughts, I got a beautiful poem in my mailbox and decided it to put it here. It is a beautiful collection of words that really sum up the situation of life on the day when this will all end for us.

"When tomorrow starts without me, and I am not there to see,
If the sum should rise and find your eyes, all filled with tears for me,

I wish so much you wouldn't cry, the way you did today,
While thinking of the many things, we didnt get to say,

I know how much you love me, as much as I love you,
And each time that you think of me, I know you'll miss me too,

But when tomorrow starts without me, please try to understand,
That an angel came and called my name and took me by the hand,

And said my place was ready in Heaven far above,
And that I'd have to leave behind, all those things I dearly love,

But as I turned to walk away, a tear fell from my eye,
For all my life I'd always thought, I didn't want to die,

I had so much to live for, so much yet to do,
It seemed almost impossible that I was leaving you,

I thought of all the yesterdays, the good ones and the bad,
I thought of all the love we shared, and all the fun we had,

If I could relive yesterday, just even for a while,
I'd say goodbye and kiss you, and maybe see you smile,

But then I fully realized that could never be,
For emptiness and memories, would take the place of me,

And when I thought of worldly things, I might miss come tomorrow,
I thought of you, and when I did, my heart was filled with sorrow,

But when I walked though Heaven's gates, I felt so much at home,
When God looked down and smiled at me, from his great golden throne,

He said, "This is eternity and all I've promised you,
Today your live on Earth is past, and here it starts anew,

I promise no tomorrow but today will always last,
And since each day is the same, there's no longing for the past,

But you have been so faithful, so trusting, and so true,
Though there were times you did some things you know you shouldn't do,

But you have been forgiven, and now at last you're free,
So won't you take my hand now and share your life with Me"

So when tomorrow starts without me, dont think we are far apart,
For every time you think of me, I'm right here in your heart...