The Final Game

I have had this write up sitting in my draft folder for a week now. I still do not know how to put into words the point I want to make.

My subject this time is a little serious, and I know everyone will have a different view about it. Every individual sees life differently, but when it comes to the game we call life, I do not think anyone really has a proper answer.

Some games are cruel. It is strange when we are forced to play a game where there are no rules and where one referee has complete control over the result, no matter how well you try to play.

The game I am talking about is death.

Once we are born, we all know that we have to face death someday. But what if that day comes too soon, just when you have started to understand the purpose of your existence?

There are many atheists who mock people who believe in the existence of an eternal energy or God. Yet, when they are faced with the possibility of losing their human existence, they sometimes find themselves with nowhere else to turn.

Hospital walls have heard more prayers than a church.

When you are left with no other hope and the only thing you can hold on to is God, faith happens.

I understand when bad things happen to people who have done wrong. People often say that they are facing the consequences of their actions. But what about the good people who have never intentionally hurt anyone? Do they deserve this suffering?

What about those who have always believed in God, tried to do the right thing, remained grateful for every breath they were given, and yet are forced to face a death that feels far more cruel than anything a person deserves?

I have heard the word cancer so many times that it almost feels like an ordinary word. I have read stories about cancer patients and thought I understood what they go through.

But it is not the same when it is your own friend holding your hands, speaking to you with tears in her eyes, and talking about her own death.

I cannot even describe what that felt like. My hands are trembling as I write this.

What did she do to deserve this?

She has always been such a kind and adorable person. She is too young to face circumstances this harsh. There are so many things she still wants to do, so many dreams she still has.

Oh God, why does this happen?

And please do not tell me it is munjanma karmaphala, the result of something she did in a previous life. I cannot accept that explanation anymore.

I could not sleep properly after I heard that she was going through her final stages. It is not as simple as it may sound.

She is a girl my age, with just as many dreams and desires as I have, perhaps even more. There are so many things left to achieve, and suddenly, she has to accept that her countdown has begun and her to do list is becoming shorter.

I cannot even imagine what it must feel like from her point of view.

How do you live normally when you know you may not have much time left on this planet?

People often lose sleep over the smallest things. I have done that too. I used to complain to God about things that made a small part of my life difficult. Looking back now, I wonder why I ever considered those things such a crisis.

Perhaps those difficult moments were only teaching me to become stronger. They shaped me into the person I am today.

Life has many turning points. I have faced situations that I thought would change me forever. But when I look at them now, they feel so small compared to what my friend is going through.

There is something deeply frightening about being close to death. The physical pain, the fear, the helplessness, and the thought of having to say goodbye can make you look at life differently.

I only wish she did not have to suffer so much after everything she has already been through.

I pray that God stays close to her, eases her pain, and carries some of her burdens. She has always been a dear child of His.

Thank you, God, for the blessings I so often forget to notice.

P.S. You never truly know the value of your eyes until you cannot see.