Transition from Life to Lifeless

A fraction of second! A fraction of second is all it took to see the person who gave life to me, who taught life to me, lying in my arms, “lifeless”. No time to know what happened, no time to do anything to retain that “life” in himself.

A second before, he was there, full of dreams, thoughts, plans for all the time to come. And in a fraction of second, all those dreams, plans ceased to exist.

The impact of this transition is cruel.

10 minutes after that massive cardiac arrest, we reach the hospital to seek help to keep him alive. And the first thing people around, in the hospital, refer to him as “Body”. Before even the doctor saw my dad, people around, certified him lifeless!

15 minutes later, the doctor certified that my dad is dead. My dad is no more in possession of his life. 8.45AM 9th February, he was declared dead. The day had just begun, signalling the end of my dad’s life.

He did not respond to his wife’s touch, his daughter’s or his son-in-law’s call.

40 minutes later, my dad was lying lifeless in the car, as we travelled to reach home.

4 hours later, the Eye surgeon, cut his eyes, in open. He did not cry out of pain.

8 hours later, the priest referred to him as “preta”. He did not deny. It took 12 days to certify that he is now a soul, resting in peace.

9 hours later, he was put on the pyre. He didn’t complain.

9 hours before, He dreamt, He planned, He lived.

His journey of 58 years ends. Not only His dreams end, but also our dreams with him come to a ruthless end. None of us thought that he would go away, never to return.

All it took is a fraction of second!