Part 4- Obituary to Self: Journey of the Living
Deepak Ramola, Founder of Project FUEL
“वो जो एक शक्स है
वो अब गुज़र गया है
कल रात गहरी नींद में सुना है उसने
ख़्वाबों से सौदा करके
दुनिया के हवाले करके आख़री सांसें
विदा ले ली
चेहरे पे हल्की मुस्कुराहट थी
बतातें है घरवाले
और हो भी क्यूँ ना?
बुलंदी के सब पड़ाव पार कर
कभी जीतकर, कभी हार कर
एक ख़ुशी को थामकर
वो चलता रहा
उम्र के दाओ-पेंच खेलता रहा
लड़खड़ाता रहा
संभलता रहा
उसे लोगों में दिलचस्पी थी बहुत
नए दिलों में मुसलसल घर ढूँढता था
'ज़िंदगी ने क्या सिखाया है आपको?'
अक्सर लोगों से पूछता था
पिरोता था जवाबों को नज़्मों में
बातों को रंगों में संजोता था
अपने ग़म में ज़रा कम
औरों की तकलीफ़ें में ज़्यादा रोता था
वो जो एक शक्स था
वो जो अब नहीं है
वो जो अब गुज़र गया है
दुनिया के मेले से कारवाँ की तरह
वो एक शक्स जो जश्न की तरह
जी गया है ज़िंदगी भला
इतनी आसानी से भूलाया जा
सकता है क्या?”
Kapil Sharma, Film Maker
"And then he died."
"Moksha Carambiah, aged 80, died of a cardiac arrest on a random nondescript Sunday morning in 2064. She passed away peacefully in her sleep after a night of routine Saturday revelry with her close friends and family.
She will be fondly remembered as a loyal friend, adoring wife (and great lover), caring mother, faithful daughter and sister, and someone who tried not to intentionally hurt anybody. She was passionate about life and constantly fascinated by humans, nature and the universe. She was up for anything and (almost) always gave it her best shot.
She is survived by her 110+ year old parents (who are not a day older than 75 after falling into a cauldron of the elusive elixir of life), loving husband, devoted children, affectionate grand-children, dearest friends and 3 beautiful doggies.
Please join us for a celebration of her life on Saturday [the following weekend]. We will dance, we will sing and we will laugh, just the way she would’ve wanted it."
Bilal Ghalib, Maker Space Expert
"A memo from Us@TheCollective, broadcast June 22, 2100 @ 8am:
Yesterday, the age of 115 years old, .bilal has elected to stop receiving regenstem capsules to the shock of all those who have admired his last 42 years of public service. The decision goes against The Courts Of Longevity and Contribution which recommend a lifespan of 215 years due to his many accomplishments sustaining meaning in the Troubled Years.
Ever since Us@TheCollective decided that God truly was dead and officiated the funeral in 2047 there had been an unstoppable tsunami of suicides raging across every subCollective on Earth. Even the NewMartians, with all the hope of colonization and challenges wasn't providing the sense of purpose humans seemed to require. WE remember when .bilal boldly released the entire contents of his memory into TheNetwork through an experimental uplink. He had unleashed a life of exploration on the origins of meaning.
So it's with much sadness WE reveal this previously encrypted thought from .bilal. "Perhaps it's time I actually figure out what's behind the veil of consciousness, I'm so curious. Time to prepare to leave The Collective for whatever is beyond it". We're not clear how long .bilal will survive without the stemcell regeneration, he started taking the LifeSavers when he was 62. Based on his genetics and family we believe we might have 10 more speedy years. God speed .bilal - or someone like that."
Rayna Jhaveri,TV Cook and Presenter
"Rayna's heart burst with joy."
Karthik Ponnapa, Co-founder & Principal, Smarter Dharma
"An obituary is a strange set of words, it has no value for the main culprit for whom its even written for. And I know that it'll be the same in my case too, I am not going to be there for my obituary.
I do not know what my obituary will say; but I do know what it should do.
My obituary should inspire that little child who thinks he's average.
...the inspiration to do
The hope in knowing that everything great,
was achieved by a little boy who believed that he was average.
The only little thing he did was...
He pushed himself a little harder than acceptable,
Persevered a little more than he thought he could
Cared more than one would think possible
And gave more than what logic stated was more than enough.
I want my obituary to inspire that little boy to know that;
thats where the magic lies...
... here within me, here within himself and here within everyone of us.
What my obituary will read like I do not care to know,
What my obituary will do, I deeply care to do."