The thought of death sparks a slew of emotions in one’s mind – grief, anxiety and sometimes anger - with me it also sparks a reflective mood. The thought of death makes you humble.
Everyday we keep running to build our lives – achieve professional success, set up a home, innovate, change the world – Chasing Daylight. But death reminds you that none of this matters at the final hour – not the money you’ve earned or the number of people who know you (who would mourn you), or even what you leave the world as! Once you are gone – its all over, in one quick shot, its gone!
Its too early for me to contemplate what one will be looking at when the final hour nears. All I can contemplate today is what if the final hour was to arrive now? Would I be happy? May be not. Would I be satisfied – may be ... yes.
A book that I read a couple of days back – Chasing Daylight – made me realize even more that in our daily rigmarole to build our lives, its important to stop and take stock. The book was written by an ex-KPMG (US) CEO who was diagnosed with a terminal ailment just before moving to the uppermost echelons in KPMG International.
In the book he described how he spent the last few months of his life, how none of the professional success hadn’t meant satisfaction, and how he reconnected with people whom he’d touched during his lifetime to make peace with himself.
‘Making Peace’ – the term ‘made peace’ reminds me of a scene from the movie Forrest Gump when Forrest and his crippled erstwhile army officer Lieutenant Dang brave through a storm, trawl loads of fish and make lots of money.
At this point, Lieutenant Dang, after having lived through a very sordid life of a handicap, is finally happy having achieved something in his life. He for the first time thanks Forrest for saving his life, and swims away from their boat. Forrest is heard in the background expressing – “I think he made his peace with himself”.
‘Making Peace’ - with the world, with yourself – but not just before you die it's something one needs to do every now and then. Once you make your peace, you don’t mind meeting the final hour, yet you are even more ready to take on life!
Related: Unpredictable and Unconquerable
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