Lessons That Linger:4 Mortality -A Few Thoughts 25 08 2025

Mortality -A Few Thoughts

Post-retirement in the last two years, every month has been marked by my visits to crematorium.  It made me realize the obvious fact that death is the only certainty for all born on this earth. I can add from my personal experience that growing older, we come across more deaths in our family and friends’ circles often triggering thoughts on mortality. While all deaths are painful and distressing as we lose the person we love, and respect, some deaths cause more pain, especially where the deceased is young, or had undergone long periods of suffering or has young family dependents. 

Reflecting on our mortality, the immediate causes of involuntary death^# can be only one of the three:

1. Disease -As the word denotes, dis-ease is the absence of ease. In its milder form disease causes discomfort or pain, and in its most acute form causes death. Accounting for almost 2/3rds of global death, heart, cancer and respiratory diseases are the top 3 causes.  
2. Trauma – An accident or a catastrophe can also cause death. While accidents like road or air accidents lead to death on a limited scale, catastrophes cause large-scale deaths be it natural disasters like a cyclone, earthquake or the recent cases of cloudbursts or man-made wars. Accounting for around 7% of global deaths, it is the cause most in news.
3. Aging -The gradual deterioration of human body with time that results in one or more of the vital organs ceasing to function. Individuals not afflicted by disease or trauma die of aging. Only more than a quarter of the population are fortunate to die of aging.

While disease and trauma are avoidable, and technology is ensuring that their impact is minimized, death due to aging is inevitable even if attempts are being made to delay it. The best one can pray for is a peaceful and painless death, after the individual has fulfilled their worldly responsibilities.

To all those dead, Om Shanti. For the living, a long life, or for myself whatever the future beholds!

^# Causes of involuntary death consciously ignored are of murder and suicide, both results of psychological disorders accounting for about 2% of the deaths.