A miracle, they say!
( Written a week ago and published today which marks the first month since Anuruddha's untimely departure)
Anuruddha,
It has been three weeks since you departed. As I write this, the world around us is slowly adjusting to the harsh reality that you are no longer a part of it. A truth we must all bear as we move forward.
With the emotional toll subsiding a bit, we find a moment to reflect on the unique circumstances surrounding your departure.
On the 15th of September at 7:50 AM, you, the safest driver among us, were navigating an intersection when a speeding blue ute, ignoring red lights, collided with you with the full brunt of its engine at over 100 kmph. In that split second, the Subaru SUV we knew so well was transformed into an unrecognizable wreck. The mere sight of it gave instant indication of the fate of its driver. Not just a statistic on the news, but a cherished son, brother, father, husband and friend.
Upon collision, the vehicle was so much in a terrible state and none of us wanted to even imagine how badly your body would have sustained injuries.
When the family was allowed, the following Monday, to come and identify the body at Coroner's court, we were honestly worried that the sight of your body might add to the existing trauma that they were going through already.
However, to the relief of us all, we saw you without any recognizable injury to the face and you appeared as if in a deep, peaceful sleep.
It was evident that you dived into immediate sleep without a clue of what just happened then. To us, it was a testament to your departure without pain, a small solace amidst the overwhelming grief.
The funeral directors, upon receiving your body, were astonished. “This is a miracle” they said. The veteran funeral director, who has seen tragic accidents like these for more than 2 decades said, this might be the first time they have ever encountered something like this.
Miracle, they said. I don’t know. But I know one thing - that wasn’t all!
Your departure coincided with the start of school holidays, allowing people from all walks of life and ages to mourn the loss of an incredible soul.
You left with a singular wish in mind – for Pirith chanting at your home. You had personally invited the Venerable monks for a ceremony to be held where you were no longer physically present. The house overflowed with people, both those who knew you intimately and others who respected you from afar.
It was remarkable to see that your family and friends wanted things the way you would have done at your home. Everyday, members of Maha Sangha and Sil Maathas would come and talk with your family. They would all talk about the immense service you did with utmost dedication and sacrifices. As per one Thero, this was the first time he had ever heard about an instance when for a continuous week, a home of a departed one was blessed with back to back events that was associated directly with the faith of that person.
It went beyond tears and sighs and landed on a space where they cherished your life with gratitude and profound meaning.
Even a person who would not recognise themselves as religious would agree that there was an unexplainable pleasantness in the atmosphere.
Blessings from an unknown entity? I don't know. But that wasn't all.
Five days before your departure, you addressed your uni batchmates across the world via Zoom, discussing the impermanent nature of life. Your words, now replayed, offer wisdom and solace in the face of your absence. In your passing, you imparted invaluable lessons. You showed us that life is fleeting and urged us to invest in meaningful self-reflection.
As for us, you gave so much wisdom in your passing . Death was something we thought as if we have time to think about. You, the fittest among us all, who can even play soccer with kids for hours, an accomplishment that I personally can only dream to achieve, conveyed a strong message. If that can happen to Anuruddha, it can happen to anybody any time.
The very message that you always wanted to plant in others, that is the fact that life is impermanent and that we need to invest in meaningful self-reflections before our times run out, opens up a whole new world view where we do not have time for hate, ego and revenge. Instead, use whatever time and energy left within us to make a positive impact on world and most importantly show our loved ones how much they mean to us because we do not know if they would ever see us again.
And just when we thought you were gone, your essence found a way to send us a hint of the legacy you left behind..
Your family's eulogy at the funeral resonated with your spirit. Priyashi, Nithini, and Nethun spoke with clarity, wisdom, and gratitude. There is no secret that there was something remarkable in Nithini's words. I am still trying to understand what that is. I think I get it now.
Not sustaining injuries in a fatal collision might be deemed a miracle, but what we experience in this materialistic world merely scratches the surface. The depth of the human mind and its potential is akin to the unseen, profound phenomena surrounding us, understood only by visionary and spiritual souls.
To touch lives throughout one's existence and even in passing, positively changing those around them, that is the true miracle.
Rest now, Anuruddha. You deserve it. We will watch over your family.
Sleep peacefully, my friend.
Champike
7th Oct 2023
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