What's real? And what isnt?

(something i wrote in my free time.. when i was bored.. although most of the idea came from a book that i read..)
How can you tell what is real and what is not? How do you know that the words you are reading now are real? I am sure that for most of us - we are 100% sure of what is real around us and what is not. I used to think so too. Until I read an article that changed my views.

Before we try to make sense of all this, let’s try to define ‘reality’. Reality is anything that is real (a very simple definition). Now what is ‘real’? You can refer to anything as real if it exists. That means that if you can prove that something exists then you can prove that it is real.

Science teaches us that everything in the universe exists in one of three forms of matter – either solid, liquid or gas form. Again, we know that matter is made of atoms and molecules. Atoms and molecules are made of electrons, protons and neutrons. What are electrons, protons and neutrons made of? No idea. I don’t think anyone has gone that far yet. They are simply defined as tiny particles with charges.

Here we are, at a point where I can say that electrons, protons and neutrons don’t exist and you can’t disprove me. Tracing this backward, if they don’t exist, matter doesn’t exist and neither does anything else in the universe. Hence, nothing really exists.

Now I will consider another side of this argument. Some of you can say that electrons, protons and neutrons do exist because scientists have seen them. So allow me to take you into the art of vision.

When you look at something, you can see it. But ‘how’ are you seeing it? Light falls on the object and then into your eyes and on your retina. The light is converted into electrical signals that are sent through your nerve and all the way upto your brain. And it is actually the image that your brain creates inside your head using chemicals and stuff that you see. So basically you see objects inside a dark dark corner of your brain inside your skull.

Now, to be sure that you are seeing the right image inside your head, we have to assume that you are a perfect human being with no defects in your nerves and with no mental problems. This is impossible. Have you done tests? And if you have, did you ask your doctor how accurate it is? And what if your doctor is not mentally stable himself? This is where the ‘big’ question mark appears.

You could be imagining everything around you. You could be hallucinating right now. Today morning when you woke up and looked in the mirror, what if you imagined your own image in the mirror. That means you have no idea what you look like. In fact, it is possible that you have no idea what anything looks like. And if you argue that you and your friend see the same thing, so it should be right. How can you prove to me that you and your friend are totally fit and perfect? Also, I would say that it is impossible to prove that the world is dominated by fools and idiots and that the people locked up in the mental hospitals are the real sane ones. Think about it!!

Death Knocking at Your Door

Thinking about death can be a very uncomfortable thought to many. So I won’t take it too far. Basically, the awareness should be there.

Will death visit you today or tomorrow? Or next week? Or next year? Or next decade? We have no clue what so ever. Nobody can tell you that. So what can you do about it? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. (a generalized answer)

However, I believe that there is a lot that we can do. Our aim is not to die. Our aim is to live. Death has its duty and it shall do it. We have our duties and we should do it too. We should make the best of our lives before it is time to say goodbye.

“Live life to its fullest.”

Many a people mistake me when I say that. When I say ‘fullest’ I don’t mean that it’s the license to trash your life. Living a full life means to finish doing whatever you were meant to do in the short time that you have.

This lesson, ‘that I should constantly remind myself of my lack of time’, was taught to me by a very special friend of mine. He didn’t mean to, but he did accidentally. I wish I could thank him for that, but time did not permit.

I realized that life is very precious. It is like a string. A very thin string. This string is constantly being pulled at, every second of our life. When the string is fully stretched, our time is up, because then the string breaks. Some of us have longer strings than others. But that’s destiny. And that’s another story that will be told another time. Just remember to be grateful for every second that you breathe, for every second that you can see, you can hear, you are being loved, you are being blessed…..and many many treasures so forth.

Solitary Graves

The beauty of the night sky entrapped me in itself without my knowledge. The emptiness, the silence and the calmness was overwhelming. It seemed as though 'nothing' could ever disrupt this heavenly moment. There was not a sound to be heard, nor any sense of movement anywhere. It was simply perfect. My eyes tried best to entrap all of it, in case this moment never returns.

But my heart was not in agreement. It was pumping hard, and fast like nothing could make it stop. My head was full of thoughts, images, questions, problems and other normal everyday things.

This is what made me wonder how in the end, we are always on our own. No matter how many troubles and problems we have, the rest of the worls always moves on. They never stop for you.

Millions of people died in the Tsunami, couple of days ago. But it did not change anything. Perhaps, for a moment we all prayed for them and for ouselves never to be in a similar situation. But, what happens after that? We go back to our daily chores. We continue to do what we do everyday. And life moves on....

Many souls passed away that day. Be it of an old man who wakes everyday knowing his end is near. Or a young business man who awoke with many new dreams to fulfill. Or perhaps a mother who woke to a dream, that her son would grow up to be a successful lawyer. Or a pregnant woman everyday, trying to create an image of her unborn child. Or a little girl telling her daddy that she wants to fly to the moon someday. Or an infant awaiting its next feed. It could have been any one of us there!

Alas, none of them knew that their end was meant to be. None of them knew that all their dreams were to be washed away by waves taller than buildings, carrying their lives away too, as it sweeps down on them.

Who was there to save them? Who can give them company anymore? None can, nor shall. They lie in their graves by themselves. Not their educational degrees, nor their wealth, nor people at highest position, nor any other worldly gain can save them now. Only their deeds go down with them. Only their acts speak for them. Were they prepared? Did they earn enough deeds and acts to take down with them? We shall never know. Are we prepared to go down today? Are you prepared? Ask yourself everyday before you climb into bed. What did you do today? And what are you going to do tomorrow? And how you can change your destiny? What can you do to change your destiny?