The Wrong Order of Life-Story-11

The Wrong Order of Life

The philosopher was lying on the hospital bed. I was very close to him as he was trying to say something important. He was telling me particularly about human beings, life, and the universe.  He looked very afraid. The tests were going on to find out the disease he was suffering from. He was in the hospital for two months yet his disease was unknown to the medical team involved to cure him. That had made him very anxious. I reminded the philosopher about his courageous speeches given to his followers. His speeches were full of positive thinking and encouragement. In his speeches every time he had said, “People should remain positive in troubled situations. There is neither joy nor sorrow. Both sorrow and joy are outcomes of our thinking, otherwise there is nothing else. Watching a garden of blooming flowers could be joyful to its owner but boring to the worker assigned to look after the garden. So joy and sorrow are inside not outside of us.”

I leaned over and said, “Sir, why are you looking so terrified? You are a very brave person and a learned man. You have inspired many persons to live a happy life despite their difficulties. This is the time for you to use your knowledge and wisdom to overcome the difficulties you are facing now.”

The philosopher looked around. There was no one close to us. In the safe environment he whispered, “You are my honest follower and an all-time friend as well. In these last days of my life I will tell you the truth and never lie. Most people never apply their knowledge and wisdom in their own lives. They use their knowledge and wisdom to make themselves feel superior to others. 

The philosopher’s statement dragged me into the past. I recalled those days when I used to believe blindly his statements .I never argued with his views that he expressed publicly. I valued his intellect very much. 

He gestured to me to move closer. I did so. He looked more emotional. He said, “I am scared of death. Death is ruthless and fearful.”

He continued, “When I see god I will request him to change the existing order of life and minimize our woes.”

I couldn’t understand anything about the existing order of life he mentioned. Getting me more confused he said, “Look, god has made the order of life; birth-young-old-death. Old age is already full of troubles; human organs start to be weak and some of them stop working. People can’t walk and eat correctly and start to be dependent in old age. People are more troubled in old age because in this age they have different physical problems and get added an additional big problem-the alarm of death. It makes people more afraid. In old age people should die. In this way people should bear two troubles at this age; organs stop functioning normally and the fear of death.”

I was silent. I was only listening to his words. He took a deep breath and said, “I would request god to change the existing order of life and make it like this; birth-old-young-death. If god changes the existing order it would minimize worries of humankind. In young age people will feel easier hearing the alarm of death. Young people have courage and power and that will make it easier for them to die at this age.”

After hearing the last sentence of the philosopher I didn’t have anything to say.

Bishwa R Adhikari