Everything Is Life, and Life Is a Miracle

What’s Missing?

Unpredictable - maybe that's the word I'm looking for to describe life. But even though it's true, I just can't fathom it. For some reason, it feels empty. Something is clearly missing. Now, what is it? I can't describe it in one word, so here's what I think about it.

The Generational Thread

We go through different phases in our lives. A lot happens as we grow up and continue to learn. How exactly does this work? What is the value of us doing anything? I mean, seriously speaking, we all will die eventually, so how is anything we do valuable?

Well, some people say it's valuable for the next generation. Like, we all live our life based on what our previous generations did. Whatever we are doing at the moment is only because of something someone else did many years ago. Now, it's not about individuality; it's about community. I mean, it’s not because of what a particular person did; it’s about what humanity did. And what they keep doing.

A lot of people underestimate humanity. They underestimate it because they feel humans are weak. Well, I don't think that's true at all. Humans have been dominant for the past 50,000 years and will continue to be for a very long time. To that, we all are insignificant. If you think about it, humans are technically a new species. 50,000 years is nothing compared to the extraterrestrial environment - but that's a topic for another article.

The Wheel and the Drive

I mean, someone, a very long time ago, once made a wheel out of stone. How awesome is that? That we all use the same concept, just changed the material from stone to rubber. And of course, for the critics here, tires have various other properties. But I was being, I don't know, subjective? It’s not about technicality; it’s about the context.

The primal motive of any organism is to procreate. Technically, this goes for humans too, as a species. But if you think about it, only humans are the ones who challenge the laws of nature. How? Okay, every organism wants to procreate, but there are some humans who don't even think about it. They want to follow their passion, or they just don't like babies. Yes, it's true that 90% of humans have this primal drive to leave their legacy, but there are those 10% who are different. It's a small example of how humans, as an organism, can actually fight against the very nature of a living being. Doesn't it kind of show how strong humans are?

Control Over Instinct

We are the only ones who can control our desires, needs, and our own lives. Our own life. We follow what we want or what we can. As a species, we are not bound by anything; we control everything we can. Control, yes, that's the word I was looking for. Technically, the organism drive is to procreate, but for humans, I think it's control. They want to control everything; they already do what they can, and their curiosity, ambitions, and indomitable will are the reasons for that.

Psychologically speaking, humans are afraid of what they can't control. If it's in their knowledge, or if they are aware of it, they don't just want to - they need to control it. Even if some wise men say something is uncontrollable, it's not their desire but their fear. Some people say nature is uncontrollable; well, they want to control it, but since they can't, they are afraid of it - hence saying so. Look out in space. Humans want to explore space, but they also want their piece of it.

Now, I'm not saying it's wrong. I was just pointing out the drive.

Bound and Free

As I said earlier, as a species, we are not bound by anything, but as individuals, we are bound by everything. Society, religion, countries, regions, people, rules, and life - I don't know, many other countless things. I just named what came to the top of my head. Some are even the same, like society and people. But my point is that we are bound.

Now, I'm not saying we should be free. I mean, we are not animals, right? Darwin was right - the only rule for animals is \"Survival of the Fittest.\" Though technically, it's still admissible for us humans. But for them, it's literal. No one really wants that.

I might not be free, but I do enjoy life, and I am sure you do too. We are bound by a few things which are there to perhaps protect us? Or maybe for a greater reason. I am not experienced enough to understand that or to even relate, but as a human, I do think.

And for the silver lining - there are some people and places (which I can't name) that suffer. At least we have a roof over our heads, and that’s what makes us lucky. Democracy somewhat keeps us well sane, or maybe keeps us a good person who values it.

Morality and Power

To be fair, we all are given a chance or an opportunity - to do something, to be something, to get something. Is it valuable? Well, that depends on what you think about the value of your work. Life isn't just black and white. It mostly stays in grey, and we all adapt to it. Some desire power, some desire money, and some, like me, desire peace or, I don't know, perhaps stability.

Someone once asked me, \"How do you win an argument against your girlfriend?\" That's a kind of sad question because it shows how desperate the person is to ask such a question. Sometimes people do stupid things and suffer for it. My answer to that question was really simple: \"Be on a moral high ground.\" It's true - if you are morally right, no one, not even your girlfriend, can argue back.

The Nature of Morals

I think we all really underestimate our morals. I believe we can win any situation if we are morally right. Because, see, us humans have something called humanity. We all have natural drives: sympathy, empathy, and compassion. Everyone has that. So, if you are at a moral high ground, no one can actually power back against you. The one who can might either have a God complex, or they are just narcissistic. Or maybe even nihilistic. Or, in the worst cases, they are brainwashed.

When I said morals, I didn’t mean religion. No, morals have nothing to do with religion. Morals are the natural drive or instincts. We all know what's right and wrong. It's just whether we can act on it or not. But sometimes - actually most of the time - the path is grey. A famous person once said, \"One's reality is another's illusion.\" What's right for us can be wrong for the next person. It's all relative. But for the particular moment, the moral high ground knows the path.

Where Religion Differs

But it's not possible with religion. It's because with religion, it primarily involves the relationship between humans and a supernatural entity. People follow what they believe in. Faith can be easily manipulated. People can really turn into fanatics if they feel something is threatening their religion or culture. Because for them, it’s something they stood for. The line gets really blurred there. For them, what they are doing is morally right because it’s what they follow, even if it's not something God would want, or something their religion is totally against. As long as it remotely threatens, they will do it.

The funny part is, sometimes it's not even threatening, yet people act. That's how delicate the point is for them. But that's wrong. That's not morals. But again, that’s the line people are willing to cross. Some are even brainwashed, but even if they are not, 90% would act. I am not going to continue it because, well, religion is a controversial topic, but you guys can get the gist of what I was trying to say.

Morals and religion are completely different and independent of each other. Even if you learn your morals through religion, following them can be really different.

Time and Fear

Something keeps on happening in our lives - isn’t that what makes it unpredictable? An event going on right now can have a significant impact on our lives in the future. But what does that future hold for us? I mean, we are all slowly going towards death, aren't we?

In a public seminar, the host asked people what scares them the most. Someone said spiders, someone said heights. Well, yes, these all can be phobias, so I wasn't really interested.

I mean, if someone asks me what I am afraid of? Well, I can't really answer that. I find spiders creepy, I don't know, maybe grunge? But I am not afraid of them. Heights are not a problem for me; I love heights. Fire, water, ghosts - blah. There was a time I used to be afraid of ghosts or, I don't know, supernatural entities despite gods. But I outgrew it.

Doesn't mean I am willing to go to a haunted place or am willing to play Outlast. It's just that they can be terrifying, but that's not fear. You can be afraid of them for a moment, but the moment passes.

So, what are you actually afraid of?

Suddenly, I heard an answer from someone else at the seminar. That person very calmly stated, \"Death.\"

And it struck me.

The March Toward Death

It's true; the actual fear for anyone is death. They are afraid to die.

For me, I was interested in this answer, but the only problem was I couldn't relate to it. I tried, but I really couldn't. I really wasn't - and still am not - afraid of death.

So, I conducted a survey and asked many people: my parents, my siblings, my friends, even some acquaintances. The thing is, everyone said they were afraid of death in one way or another.

My father, I clearly remember, said that he is not afraid of death but is afraid of what he will leave behind if he dies right now. Well, that was a few years ago, and now it really doesn't matter since he passed away. But well, never mind that - that's another article.

Anyway, from many answers of my survey, there was one which really shook me.

The thought was actually terrifying. What they said was, “that they are afraid of the time slowly coming towards them, the unstoppable force which is slowly leading them towards an inevitable death.”

Okay, that’s a scary thought. And the problem is - it's true.

We all know we will die eventually, but if we think about it, then time is leading us towards it, slowly, one step at a time. Probably that person said that as a joke since they laughed after saying it, but it got me into thinking that it's true. The thought is actually terrifying. I mean, seriously, what does life even leave us? We are all born from ashes and eventually turn into ash. So, in all this, the \"experience we gain through time\" is well, only applicable for us? And seriously, we don't even know where it leads after we die. What happens to that experience? What happens to what we lived for? Even if I am typing this article for people to read it, after I die, what happens to the whole thought process of mine which led me into writing it? What happens to the thought process of yours which you will think after reading this article, after you die?

Today, I have more questions than answers. And the funny part is that the only person who probably could have answered them isn't there anymore. But it's not about me, it's about the journey of life. I never answered what I am actually afraid of. Well, that's something for another article.

Legacy, Memory, and Objects

I was visiting my childhood home, and in my grandma’s room, I found some old books, canes, and suitcases. And it got me into wondering - what things have these objects seen at the time when my grandparents were alive?

Where have those canes gone, how many people have read the books, and seriously, that suitcase has probably been to so many places. I sometimes imagine my grandparents, young in their prime, together as a couple, traveling. They took that suitcase somewhere; I don’t know - to so many railway stations.

And now my grandparents are gone. Not even their ashes remain on this earth, but that object is still there. Unscathed. Exactly how it was when its creator made it.

The object outlived the living.

It’s fascinating to think about it.

Generations and Perspective.

We all argue about generations, like which one is the best. I think every generation has its moment. We can never realize the importance because we are not part of both.

What the old generation used to do - they know the importance behind it. Like how it led them to that particular place.

What my generation does - well, we have seen how technology has evolved, and we adapted as it did.

But the new generation already has the evolved technology, and they are doing what they should do. We all will reach a certain old age where we all will say that our generation was the best. Because we have experienced it ourselves.

The Final Thought

Someone really close once told me, \"Miracles happen if you believe in them.\" Although that person left, the saying is true.

Life in itself is a miracle. Humanity, fear, control, morals - all are parts of life. I don’t want to count religion, but for some people, it's just there.

These all are parts that were missing, along with countless other things I can't describe: questions, curiosity, unstoppable marching of time towards inevitable death, memories, experiences, moments.

Everything is life. And life is a miracle. So, life molds however you believe in it. It is unpredictable - but come on, if it wasn’t, it would be too boring.

By Nin Nin