An important question

Sowmya had raised this question " What do you do if you know that today is ur last day in this world and why?" This was in reply to my comment to her post titled "இறப்பை வரவேற்க்கத் தயாராவோமா? " Not an easy question to field. Hats off to her for such hard hitting posts! Here is my response:

Ok, with due respect to the subject, this might get lengthy but I guess you wouldn't mind!
First of all, there will be no thought to relax or sleep. Benjamin Franklin put it nicely, "there will be plenty of time to sleep when you are dead!"

Then it's time to address the priorities - family, friends and dear ones - telling them how much I have always loved them. To me, this would be of utmost importance. There are times when other priorities of much lesser importance than those individuals have eclipsed my love for those who matter the most ...we tend to be careless in hurting, putting things ahead of people ... but now here is the last chance ...not that I have gone around hurting a lot of them... people who know me can vouch that I am the nicest person on earth :-) Still I know there are a few mending work to be completed!

Then, there will be actions related to what Mel Gibson said in Braveheart " Every one of us will die, but so few of us really live" So living those moments to the fullest again relates to people for me...so I would seek to be among the people dearest to me till...I don't own a single rupee to anyone, not a single materialistic activity pending - so its people, people & people all through.

And then, like Robin Sharma suggests, it will be time to plunge into these five questions to delve deep and become more philosophical about what truly counts / have counted in life: Did I dream richly? Did I live fully? Did I learn to let go? Did I love well? Did I tread lightly on earth and leave it better than I found it?

But, fear? Will I be afraid? I believe Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji when he says "Fear is an expression of the past reflecting the future of the present. When people deny fear, they become egocentric; when they recognize and accept fear, they go beyond it - they become free from it"

I guess that's it. Not very exciting by today's standards, but that's exactly how I would like it to be.

Phew!!! As this Chinese saying goes, " the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, but the second best time is today" Well, I have quite a few euphemistic trees to plant!. See ya.