ONE LIFE TO...

LIFE...... its strange how casually and blasphemously we take it ....little do we understand its significance. Only those who have been on the thin line separating life from death can gauge its importance and know the miracle this four lettered word is...

Unfortunately or fortunately, I’m one of them.

It was 29th sep and the eve of my birthday. I was in anticipation of the next day as it was going to be special this time. One of my best friends had flown to Delhi especially for the occasion and I was going to meet her and others after a long time. We had vividly charted out the whole thing.

But this wasn't meant to be…

As the night progressed, I started feeling uneasy; by midnight I was shivering badly and in the wee hours was taken to a doctor. I was diagnosed with a fatal form of Dengue arboviral fever 2 days hence. Hospitalized immediately, the trauma thus began… from the emergency ward to special care to private ward…the journey was a hell. Nurses pried on me 24*7, injected needles in my body from every possible angle, ultrasounds, x-rays…doctors came at regular intervals and eyed suspiciously at my condition which was getting critical as the days were progressing...

In bed, half-conscious and helpless, it was then that I realized what life actually means- to me, to my parents, to my loved ones. Thoughts came and went out of my mind. I recalled what people had said….

Life is a responsibility, perform your duties- parents had said

Life is a mystery waiting to be unfold- grandma had said

Life is a party, enjoy hard- friends had said

Life is a goal, achieve it- teachers had said

One life to love- a friend in love said

But what relevance did all these sayings hold for me lying there on the mercy of drugs and oxygen mask??

I opened my eyes and looked around. The room was swarmed with visitors who had come to ask about my well-being. But I was looking for someone else. The door opened and my dad entered with the doctor. My grandma was sitting beside my bed, holding my hand. Mother was standing behind her, timid and teary eyed. As the doctor began his check-up, I looked towards my parents, into their eyes, which were filled with fear, love and reluctance. I couldnt help but smile at their attempts to look calm and composed. I got what I was looking for …. My answer .… life means YOU, said their eyes.

All my doubts concerning life were cleared. Life is one which a person lives for another human being, It aint any mystery or party or goal or anything.. Life isn’t lived for selfish purposes because then it wouldn’t be called life, it would be a mere existence! Cats, dogs, other animals...they simply exist….It’s in the innate nature of humans to ‘live’ for others but sadly we are forgetting this subtle thing because of our complex lifestyles. Life is a blessing and thus meant to be lived selflessly. Life would be a wonderful journey if people understood this.

Ok, agreed, one scoop of selfishness at times wouldn’t hurt as a bonus!

And from that point on I decided to live life for my parents, not to disappoint them in any way and make them proud. I tried to catch up with them on the lost time that I had given to other people who now hold little importance. It was a time to amend things, life-style and relations.
Of course, there is another close group of people too for whom I share the same feelings and some others towards whom the degree of selflessness varies per se…

My stay at hospital also gave me a reality check of the surroundings. I was humbled by seeing the kind of ailments the patients adjoining my room were suffering from and empathized with them. Besides, I conveniently demarcated my ‘supposedly good friends’ and ‘SMS’ friends from real friends. Priorities in life became clear.

Slowly my condition began to show improvement and when more friends, family and relatives used to pour in to see me, the environment would become a celebration of sorts. I enjoyed all the gup-shups and chit-chatting among them and used to feel disappointed when they left, thinking of the boring night that would follow.

By the time I was finally discharged, I had made friends with many nurses and doctors. I left the hospital feeling contended and happy… not just happy because I had thwarted Dengue out of my system but also because a new meaning of LIFE had dawned upon me which would make my life worth living… not just for myself, but also for others!