20230423 : birthright

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There are many things defined in various country's constitutions as fundamental rights. I frankly don't know what the fundamental in them stand for.

In my opinion, the 1 and only fundamental and birthright we are all born with is to die.

It was a thought I was comfortable with for a long time. I felt denied my fundamental birthright after my stroke.

In all honesty, I am being propped up to live in many many ways.

* If nobody realised and my wife and friends did not act quickly, 6th feb 2019 early morning would have been the end.
* If there was no MRI facilities in the hospital to identify the clot in my brain, it would have been the end.
* If my wife's cousin - the neurosurgeon hadn't acted swiftly on his feet, probably 9am would have been the end.
* If there were no life saving medicines and ability to intubate with tracheostomy, probably another day .
* If there was no ability to put a tube into my stomach (ryles initially and PEG later) to put water and nutrients to my stomach, a few days more.
* Several instances afterwards, if there were no emergency procedures, it would have probably been the end.
* Even today, without artificially being given water and feeds, I'll wither away in a few days ..

In a nutshell, I am artificially held back from exercising my birthright.

In natures evolution by natural selection of the fittest, this body has had no right to continue after the stroke.

So I was very comfortable with that thought... Of exercising my birthright.

In recent times however, even though sparingly, I find myself feeling guilty for thinking of it. 

You see, I have survived the last 4+ years not by myself. It has been due to the love affection and care by my wife, kids, close friends and family and many other well-wishers.

They have all invested a lot ("a lot!") on me - love, affection, care, energy, effort, financial resources, physical resources, etc)

It is like watering and nurturing the seed by Jack without knowing what beanstalk will come out in the morning.

I feel very guilty thinking of nipping the budding sprout and denying everybody a chance to see the beanstalk eventually - even though I subscribe to the evolutionary process and believe in my birthright.

I wonder if that is what drives us. Not only our wanting to go on by ourselves, but the ties of near and dear ones - either pulling us or we pulling ourselves into it to go on forward...


Comments

  1. KP23/4/23 10:53

    Your last few sentences aptly sums up the reason of life. The superpower who has blessed you and your loved ones is within you. Need to Keep moving forward with that driving force.
    Stay blessed always!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Vinod KD23/4/23 12:07

    I don't know if death is a birthright. Isn't it something that happens to us regardless? Sure we could shorten it, but that brings it to the question at the end of your post: maybe that's what drives us - to do what we can with the life we get. So why not let it go on till it will?

    Please don't feel guilty. I don't think any of the people nurturing the sprout are doing it with an end in mind. They are doing what they think is right. You are doing what you think is right. These thoughts that you post are proof that their sprout is doing well.

    I can honestly say that I only knew you as "cheeku the really good basketball player/captain from school" until recently. Now I have a "vishwaroopam" picture of your mind as this deep thinker, not to mention a much better understanding of stroke as a condition. Most importantly: I now think every day if I'm doing everything I could be doing. I'm humbled and my behavior has changed as a result. Just sharing one small instance of how you matter!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sreekanth29/4/23 17:18

      KD, I refer to it as birthright as that's the only thing we come into this world with - so If we maybe have a right to exit .. Maybe you are right. we don't really have a right on anything and have to just let things happen.

      I am guessing you are referring to a movie. I dont remember watching a movie by that title. so I remain cheeku for you :-)

      Delete
  3. Anonymous24/4/23 10:05

    Iyaa, I read all your articles as it gets published...
    Hope you get lot more love from far and wide....
    As my Mrs says, its not about you, You feel a burden, but you being , provides stability and focus for your world, to be around you.


    Wheb

    ReplyDelete

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