Live Like you were dying

"He said, I was in my early forties, with a lot of life before me
when a moment came that stopped me on a dime"
" and I spent, most of the next days, looking at the x-rays
Talking bout the options and talking bout sweet time"

I asked him, when it sank in, that this might really be the real end
hows it hit you when you get that kinda news, man what'd you do?...

And he said ...

"I went sky diving ...
I went Rocky Mountain climbing ...
I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named BluManchu ..."

"and I...
loved deeper, and I spoke sweeter, and I gave forgiveness I'd been denying"

And he said ...

" Someday I hope you get the chance....... To live like you were dying."
To live like you were dying. To live like you were dying.

Lovely Lovely Song.. Its just been the last 2 years since I have begun listening to US Country.. and boy Tim McGraw rules.. He does. Seriously. No wonder its the hottest thing on the radio charts right now. for months now. The best part is ... I have the uncanny knack of starting my car radio exactly half a minute before this plays... and the song simply makes me take in a breath of fresh air.. and shoo my lethargy of the morning or the tiredness of the evening away...


What do you think? What If.. you came to know.. You have just 30 days to live... What will you do? ... And I know you would definitely say.. I will enjoy life.. and I will roam around.. I would do this , that .. things I had kept for myself.. to be done later... I will shrug off all animosity.. all hate n jealousy..


This Song equates to images of the evergreen Kakaji In Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Anand.. .. his brisk strolling down a twilight red beach.. a bunch of balloons in hand.. .. and Manna Dey Crooning "Zindagi... Kaisi Hai Paheli.... Haay... "

It takes a time line for us to know .. and realize how important the small things of the world are .. It took "Anand" the protagonist, terminal cancer to appreciate the importance of bringing cheer and fun to his life and of others...
It takes disability for people like Hellen Keller to teach us repeatedly.. how to grasp the beauty of mother nature..

And here we are, millions of us.. sitting at our cubes.. day and night.. servicing Across Atlantic MNCs.. taking the project leader's order.. that "Oh .. You HAVE to do a Night - out today cos we have the delivery lined. up" ...

Most Germans in my company dont work after 3 pm on friday.. The holidays begin almost at Thanksgiving.. to "prepare for the Chistmas festivities" ... I know my American colleagues who would take out half a day out to attend his 8 year old's school baseball match, or his daughters presentation.. at university.

Can we Indian's deserve take some time for us ? e.g. Put our foot down and say.. THIS IS THE TIME FOR THE FAMILY UNION... All brothers from the US.. and the sister in Hyderabad, or the cousin in Bombay can maybe meet up..

To Give up our huge imposing professional burdens for a while.. and meet loved ones.. . Or to spend time for yourself.. say read a good book .. walk by the beach.. trek a mountain.. or in fact whatever you want..


"Skydiving , I went... Rocky Mountain Climbing.. I went 2.7 Seconds.. on a bull named.... "

:)

Anyways, for anyone in Bangalore reading this.. There is one more way .. to bring cheer to your inner self..
Its a pity the Silicon City of the world with billions of revenue generated and fatter paychecks than anywhere else in the country cant bring forth its residents to foster 1.1 million children living in abject poverty.. for a better life .. and education.. Bangalore boasts of a 30% illiteracy rate which is horrible in any urban standards of the world.. Do Check out the websites of Parikrama, the Human Foundation.. at http://www.parikramafoundation.org/halfday/htm They have come across a novel idea of providing Nutrition, Health Care and above all Education to the under - priveleged slum dwellers' children of the city.
As they say, provide these children a level - playing field.. and just sit back and watch what they will do to the country. I am going to donate half of my day's salary to them .. Cos thats just what they want .. from us for their cause.. ( THere is also apparently a 30th October Rock fest ticket that you get for this)..



The last line of the song is what gives ppl the goosebumps..
" Someday I hope you get the chance....... To live like you were dying."


Enjoy life pals !! Party hard.... Take a nap in office :) watch a movie.. play a prank on your boss :) (thats taking it too far I spose)
Enjoy every moment.. Cos you wont get back the time that you just spent..