No, I don’t mean the Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde lives. I grant my readers that I do know some of that type too but, I mean the lives that Confucius talks about.
My second life started, strangely enough in an ICU ward of a hospital here in Pune in February, 2001. I had undergone revision to a revised hip joint and the trauma almost killed me on the surgeon’s table. I was in the ICU for a week and subsequently in the private room for another week before I could get back home whereas, I was released from the hospital after the earlier revision, in just one week’s time.
Those two weeks on a hospital bed, gave me a great deal of time to think about my mortality and how ephemeral my life really is. That the period coincided with my retirement from active career pursuits made it easier for me to stop chasing rainbows and spend quality time with my family and friends. That it also coincided with my care giving duties for my late wife made it all the more imperative that I made the best use of the time given with her.
A bit of why-me-itis did follow when my late father moved in with me to spend his last days but though that was an unpleasant situation, I still did not go back to pursuits other than those that gave me joy. I continue to live like that and am helped in that way of life by very understanding family and friends who have seen me before and after and prefer the latter.
I am indebted to Ekoshapu for inspiring me to write this post. Please take a bow Sir! And, just to inspire you in return, here is something to mull over.
Funny you mention hospitals. My second life began after my life was saved in a hospital after my dear friend, RIP, insisted on taking me there after my doctor said it was bad flu. It was peritonitis. I am so lucky to be alive.
From then on I knew I had this second chance. It was about 27 years ago. And the changes and risks and following an ephemeral kind of dream has led me to this contentment.
Great post Ramana, I remember most of your journey too.
XO
WWW
Thank you WWW. In many ways, our journeys have had similar incidents which have made us what we are today.
Last time I was in hospital was today and it had nothing to do with me. I do personal care and my client had his therapy there.
Coffee is on
That is good to hear Dora. Thank you for commenting.
deep thoughts. and yet more insight into your own life lessons and wisdom.
thank you Rummy for sharing it here. you could have just given up at any point.
but you didn’t. and it’s appreciated. xo
You inevitably cheer me up with your comments Tammy. Thank you.
You are too kind, Ramana Sir! I feel overjoyed when you even mention me. Inspiring you is way beyond my wildest dreams…it’s your magnanimity to say so.
Thank you Ekoshapu. Now who is being magnanimous?
I certainly can relate to your hospital experience, after my ‘near miss’ last year when I spent a few (unexpected) days in a ‘coronary care unit’. You sure got it right about those thoughts of .. “my mortality and how ephemeral my life really is”.
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I suppose that it happens to almost all of us at some point or the other in our journeys. Thank you John.
I don’t think it’s a second life, it’s just reframing the one you had before, that now doesn’t work well…
I was just thinking that this earlier today, when a text that I received yesterday from a friend who basically said “I can’t see things getting any better, and I’ve realised it as well…” And that made me think of “never going night clubbing and dancing the night away” which occurred in my early 40s (a little after I got to be single lady again…on the town)
I started thinking about how I had no choice and my life changed then…
It later got a lot better, when the doctor who set my journey on the course of no late nights; found out he got it wrong (I’m not with a doctor now)
And then there was the issues that arose after hospital surgery last year, where I ended up believing my time was “UP” to find out in mid Feb this year; some idiotic health professional made a “huge mistake” – I’m still on finding my new journey…
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Interesting. I would say that every day is a new journey.