To A Man Who Has Been A Pleasure To Know and A Life That Goes On

28/09/2020

आज दादू गुज़र गए, नहीं Dad के Dad नहीं but दादी के one of the siblings. However, most of us have always been much like a big extended family including all her siblings and their families. Although मैं और दादू super close तो नहीं थे, पर वो मेरे परिवार और लाइफ के उन बड़ों में से थे जिन के लिए मेरे दिल में खूब सारी इज्ज़त थी, I mean अब भी है और हमेशा रहेगी। So, अचानक कुछ धक्का सा लगा because सब सही था and we hadn't seen it coming. 

"He was a really lively man, one who knew how to stand up for his family and extend his warmth to all of us in his extended family as well. During our hostel days, as we found ourselves at their place sometimes, we would eagerly jump on to get ice creams from his shop upstairs as the first things. I don't remember any dull moments with him when I had seen him upset but I guess it is a gift that I can always remember him for the happiness he spread."

I had subconsciously expected that we still had a couple more years to see each other and probably at least a few more family occasions to meet and greet in. नहीं ऐसा कुछ खास था नहीं जो कहना हो और सच कहूं तो शायद कुछ खास emotional भी नहीं हुई बस सोच कर कुछ अजीब सा लगा. शायद थोड़ा unexpected tha इस लिए। And while mom and Bhai would have normally rushed to their place while I would stay back to attend to Daadi, this year nothing was as usual because Corona had come into the picture. 

Family rightly thought to wait a little before we could disclose it to Daadi at least till morning, so we all behaved normal and it feels a little weird and post dinner I got back to my IGNOU assignments that were approaching their deadline. 

While I silently prayed for his soul to rest in peace and wishing that may God bless his soul, I couldn't help but wander how life does go on. It is slightly narcisstic to probably think this way but it also made me wonder about my own and how insignificant and inconsequential we are in the face of life and death and their known unpredictability.

Its cruel but and often heartbreaking but probably there is no better reminder to live our life the right way than the death of people we have had the chances to encounter in our lives and had personally known.