Turning Towards Life Through Death

December 7, 2010
I wrote this article some time back, when the Blue Line Bus Service was very frequent on the Delhi roads, which due to negligent driving had caused many a deaths and hence is being phased out compleltely from Delhi roads.  Dear reader, sharing this experience with you, which had a deep impact on me.

It was a usual morning for me. I grabbed my sandwich to nibble on the way to work, as I drove my car.  There was usual traffic on Delhi roads. I drove out of my colony to merge with the endless traffic on the main road. I began to drive in the middle lane.  I adjusted my rear view mirror and with a fleeting movement of my eye, I observed a biker with a black windcheater riding just behind me, and a Blue Line Bus behind him. (Am I driving in the bus lane or the bus is in my lane, I thought?!)  Life as usual … I picked up my sandwich to bite………and screeeeeech…….I heard a loud and thunderous sound of a bus braking suddenly.  I tilted slightly to see what happened behind me.  That bus had stopped abruptly and the biker was nowhere to see, in just two seconds time.  I was shocked; the bus had run over the biker. 

Suddenly, there was silence on the road, a road echoing with the loud horns, a few seconds back sounded deserted now. I sat there still with my eyes glued on the rear view mirror of my car, my mind showing me horrifying imaginations of death scenes. 

And, then, a miracle happened, the man with his helmet on, crawled out from the underneath of the bus.  He looked shaken but the young man soon regained his composure and moved to his right, slapped the auto driver who had pushed him in the road and moved away.

I sat there paralyzed in the middle of the road with tears flowing out of my eyes.  I had seen the terrorizing face of death so close and so sudden.

(Only after all the vehicles on the road started honking at me, did I realize that I was in tears, and blocking the way of the traffic)

Suddenly, every clutter of life sounded trivial to me, every friction, every issue in my relationships seemed petty to me, every grudge, every sulk, every grievance I had, seemed so small, so inconsequential to me.

The uncertainty of life had humbled me suddenly.  Gratitude, humility, forgiveness all quickly flowed like sparkling clear water through the dry and rough soil of my heart.


It was a life changing moment for me.  I had turned towards life through death.  I learnt to admire and cherish each moment, each day.  No, it was not the fear of death – lurking around me, and for that matter us, in different avatars, but the awareness of my being. The awareness that I am a capable human being at this point of time, capable enough to live and not just vegetate, capable enough to be happy that I decided that I will live completely, fully in each moment to come, each moment of my life.

I had turned towards life through death.


RESTLESS

PS: The post got published in Kadzilla's Lounge and my organisations magazine too.
PPS: pic coutesy :http://genna-greasley.deviantart.com

21 comments:

Always Happy said...

Traffic sense in bangalore is bad too..every now and then we hear of/witness some mishaps.

Even I believe life is so uncertain and that is why even I believe in living every moment to the fullest.

Anonymous said...

who ever told Blue Line Buses have been phased out... ??? it is one of the biggest myths that has come out after the common wealth games...

the very same blue line buses which were 'phased out' is back on roads in a 'white avtar'...ya all those buses have been painted white and is runnig as chartered buses...

so more money for traffic policemen... as also..the reckless driving..

in india..some things you just cant live without you know..

Jack said...

Restless,

Lucky was he. Today I was walking out of colony gate and saw an auto stopping midway through turn into the gate. Driver got down and as I walked closer I saw a bike on ground with few persons helping the rider get up. The autowalla had turned without any signal and biker skidded due to harsh braking. One really does not know what lies next. So I am with you that do what needs to be done without postponing it. Live your life with being grateful to God.

Take care

Harish P I said...

OMG. i dont think you will believe me, but a similar incident happened today morning.. just infront of the bus i was travelling.

Blasphemous Aesthete said...

Life is indeed delicate and fragile. And then the most powerful creation seems so powerless, at the mercy of the storm, of a higher power.

And turning towards life from death, thats a nice expression.


Cheers,
Blasphemous Aesthete

Vivek said...

Hmm really those killer buses were not less than the bus lincensed to kill kind. I too have witnessed it many times. .during my trip via these killers....but the worst thing is some blue lines are still plying on roads.. :(
> but these are of ppl. having connections..with higher authorities..
I too hv one close encounter while crossing road at night...just saved by god's grace.

now metro network is working great for me. . :-))

take care.
keep smiling :-))

le embrouille blogueur said...

Scary and very real. The narration is simple and yet passes on the message loud and clear. I have to now explore your other posts. We indeed need to cherish the small things in life.

Alka Gurha said...

Witnessing such accidents, do shake us....But life is uncertain...never know whats going to happen...

Haddock said...

Some experiences just jolt you.

A Restless Mind With A Sensitive Heart! said...

@ Always Happy, so true, hey good to know that u too believe in living the moment to the fullest!

@ Neo, oh ok! those chartered buses you mean?! huff!!

@ Jack - oh u witnessed that. so true, we must live with gratitude.

@ Harish - Oh God! when I saw this happening I was disturbed for 2-3 days after that. Thank God the man was safe.

RESTLESS

A Restless Mind With A Sensitive Heart! said...

BA - yes true. Glad u liked the title BA.

Vivek - oh really. U just don't know what is in store the next moment. tc :)

LEB - Welcome!!!

Hmm simple things are the best one's mostly :)

Alka - yeah dear, so we must live to the moment. tc

Haddock - Oh yes really... u well worded the shock.

take care dear co-bloggers!

RESTLESS

Anonymous said...

got me wrong again.. i didnt mean the chartered buses.. but the blue lines are back as white painted buses.. so no numbers in them.. but ply on peak routes... as chartered.. so since this is illegal.. our dear policemen too get handsome compensation... also.. it gives them the freedom to not adhere to any time schedule.. they can run it whenever and however they want..

that uff..should be directed to Ma'am Shiela Dixit.. for inventing such a good idea of banning the killer buses...

Niket said...

Got the message crystal clear Restless! No, not that the blue line buses are a death magnet, but that, that one shouldn't fear death; it's uncertain.
So, live your life to the fullest, cherish every moment of your life, no problem of your life is worst than Rahul Mahajan's laugh! :P
Jiyo jee bharke! :)

Anu said...

IT's a nightmare to witness such accidents! I would never get sleep after watching such horrifying incidents!
It all again comes down to traffic management and road sense, which people lack! And it costs a life!

Sarah malik said...

touching! a friend of mine lost her father 2yrs back due to the ruthless driving by the blueline drivers. and they havent been phased out in Delhi yet coz i myself travel thru them due to the dearth of DTC plying on my route:(
sarah

Nalini Hebbar said...

THe traffic is going from bad to worse...there is abso no place to walk too!

Dr. Pratibha Singh said...

these are traffic horrors but thank god that person escaped though through very thin line but you learnt through him a lesson to live life completely.

S.R.Ayyangar said...

No body can say or predict what is in store the next moment.These are the experiences of life and life goes on.

varsha said...

Like the way you weave together the profound the everyday and the shocking to put together a beautiful post.

A Restless Mind With A Sensitive Heart! said...

Neo - oh really? you always come up with lesser known facts. I didn't know this. thanks.

Niket - LOL @ rahul mahajan's laugh!!!!! too good and example!

Vaish - oh yes dear, I was jolted completely watching that happen.

RESTLESS

A Restless Mind With A Sensitive Heart! said...

Subtlescribbler - oh, so sorry to hear that. I know how bad u would be feeling still using the service.

Nalini - true, pedestrians have no place to go, as if it was a crime to be on foot!

Pratibha - oh yes, thanks God the guy was saved.... true.

S R Ayyangar - so true.

Varsha - You made my day Varsha! thanks :)

RESTLESS

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