Let's begin with The END.

What is death to you? 

• Is't something you don't want to talk of, think of? 
• My soul is immortal, and I'm not the body. 
• It happens to others.
• It's a continuous process, we are progressively dying each day.

Irrespective of your notion about the death, death remains one of the major realities. We all are mortal and are going to die someday; and hence, carrying an awareness about this truth is vital in organizing life.

Is death really The END?

Many religions, particularly Hinduism, don’t find death being the end. Hinduism believes in rebirth i.e. the cycle of death-n-birth; however, it also says that breaking this cycle, or nirvana, is the ultimate goal of human life; and hence, in this way, it does say that bring an end to it.

I find this notion of Hinduism being complicated and confusing. I also see that may be the main reason behind this doctrine could have been to give people a coverage from the fear of death, and at the same time making them bravely accept it. However, I find this a bit damaging as this lets people live life as if they are going to live forever, and hence, procrastinate the vitals and indulge into petties.

Having been born in a religious Hindu family I did believe in rebirth for several years, but no more. As of now I see that the death would be The END, and this notion is helping me live life more sensibly, particularly liberating me from unnecessary accumulations.

For sure, death isn’t the end of everything of one’s existence, there are things that are quite immortal, like:

• Minerals: Our body is composed of many minerals and minerals don’t die even when body is burnt. Similarly, if you have been eaten by someone some of your existence remains in them.
• DNA: The basic map of which our body is composed of is also quite immortal. The DNA comes from parents, and hence, was into existence, although not quite the same, but most of it, likewise it would remain in progeny or siblings or near or distant cousins, not exactly the same, but most of it.
• Thoughts: The thoughts that we perceive being our own are in reality an assemblage of the thoughts picked from around and the past, and likewise, they remain into existence post-humus.

In these senses we always existed and would remain into existence. But this isn’t enough, it is my own body, my own feelings that bring the uniqueness of my existence; and hence, once my body is dead, or I’m otherwise unable to feel, I would be over.

I would like ending this article by paying homage to comedian Vadivel Balaji who died after having a heart attack at a young age of 45. Post heart attack he got paralyzed and was treated in private hospitals where his family got stripped financially, and finally he had a sad end in a government hospital. It is hard to believe that this all good looking face, which was making other smile, is all of sudden no more. Let his death remind us of our own mortality, and of the need of taking care of our own body first before serving to others.