The Speaking Mirror: Live Life So Well That Even Death Loves To See You Live - Eastern Mirror
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Op-Ed

The Speaking Mirror: Live Life So Well That Even Death Loves To See You Live

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By EMN Updated: Jul 30, 2014 10:25 pm

Z. K. Pahrü
BTC/Pfutsero

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]khrieno Savi died of cancer last year leaving behind many ‘whys’. She was a theological educator. She was a very humble, fun loving, soft spoken, prayerful and intelligent woman. Just few days before her death, she sent me a thought provoking sms, “Live life so well that even death loves to see you live.” I continue to treasure her sms till today but not without puzzle. She lived her life so well but death snatched her away when our society needed her presence and service most. Like her, many good people continue to die at their prime of life. This has kept us confused and even makes us discouraged! Had death failed to understand the language of ‘love’ when many good and righteous people whom we dearly loved were taken away from us?
It is not only ‘death’ that makes us puzzled but it is our lifestyle that makes us even more puzzling. We live and act as if we are not going to die. We tend to be proud. We tend to hate and quarrel with others. We tend to steal and harm others. We tend to cheat others. We tend to grab ‘power’ with all dishonest means. We tend to accumulate wealth unscrupulously as if we can take them with us when we die. Only mad people will own many grand and expensive buildings in the world? What is the use of accumulating crores and crores of rupees when someone can live happily with just Rs.50 or Rs.100 per day? I see no logic in owning tens and hundreds of luxury cars or electronic gadgets when we cannot take with us anything on our death! We came to this world naked, and we will go back naked. If we realize this fact, we would be more loving and more caring towards our fellow beings.
We often do not want to talk or hear about death. It is important to think and talk about death as much as we talk about life. Death is an appointment that we all must keep. If we do not forget death in our life, we would be a much better person. It is something that we cannot avoid or escape. The rich and the poor, the literate and illiterate, the black and the white, theist and atheist will all die. There is no corruption in death as no one can bribe death to live. Riches, fame, power status, pride, and strength are all brought down to nothing by death. All these things are but ‘vanity of vanities’ in death. No human being is worth more than the other in death. Are we not all but from dust? Yes, we all came from dust, and to dust we will return. This is the reason why in death a Prime Minister or President is no more valuable than a sweeper or daily wage earners. A powerful Chief Minister will be brought down to a level of a mere villager, and a highly educated officer to a domestic servant status. Death is the leveller of human beings. If we love, respect and treat equally all people as in death, we would have peace, equality and justice in our society. Each passing moment of our life (as we eat, drink, talk, sleep, & work) we are going closer to death. Death will take away our physical body with tears on the appointed day but fortunately it will not erase the good deeds of a person. The names and deeds of those who live life so well will continue to live in the heart of million people even after they die. Their exemplary life and deeds will continue to inspire and guide those who are alive. May be this is what Akhrieno mean when she said: “Live life so well that even death loves to see you live.” Death loves to keep people alive by preserving the good deeds and the sacrificial life we live for our society. Good people like Akhrieno continue to live in the heart of many people. Jesus died in order to live. Why not help someone today who is in need of our service? Why not share a bit of our wealth today? Why not share a cup of water or a morsel of food with those who are dying of thirst and hunger? Why not think for a proper shelter of a poor family when we are living in spacious buildings? Do not let ‘death’ destroy life completely but overcome death by doing good works while we are still alive. As our body return to original state (dust), our legacy will sprout up and live with the living. What legacy do YOU and I want to leave behind when we die?

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By EMN Updated: Jul 30, 2014 10:25:59 pm
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