It is likely that most of us have not been at a point in life where we have to risk our lives to save another. Well, maybe risking our lives would not be so accurate. Rather it is sacrificing our lives for the sake of another’s.
If you had to make a choice at a point in time to save someone at the expense of your own life, would you take it? Perhaps that person is a loved one or someone very dear. My first thought on this, would be that I would do so. I thought that if it meant that someone dear to me had a chance to live, I’d readily give up mine. But somehow along that flow of thought, it occurred to me : “What about my family?”
It would surely break their hearts deeply to know that they have lost me. Perhaps they may be proud that their child could make such a sacrifice for another. Yet noble as it is, grief is unavoidable. I wondered if it was fair of me to give up my life for another and yet bring my loved ones such grief.
It was here that I felt, perhaps death was the easy way out for me. The real ones who suffer would be my mourning family, especially my parents. They brought me to life and raised me over the years, pouring sweat and love to nurture me, only for me to throw it away for another. Was it fair to them? What sacrifice would be worth bringing them such pain? Would that sacrifice still be honourable?
Let’s then move to the person which I gave up my life for. Could that person live with him/herself? Sure, we see in movies where the scripts says to live their lives to the fullest to make up for the lost of my life. But really, does the matter settle at that? They would then have the obligation of taking care of my family and seeing that my wishes (if any) be fulfilled.
And what of me? I die. Nada nada nada. No obligation, no pain, no grief. Would I even be able to regret on the things that I have not done? Who really knows what happens in the afterlife? Whether it be heaven or hell or just plain dark annihilation and nothingness?
This is if a child dies. What about if a parent dies? A breadwinner leaves the family to fend for themselves. A homemaker leaves the breadwinner to struggle with both responsibilities in the family. Although with supportive friends and family, it is just another hurdle in life to be overcomed, a death of one parent would spell hardship in the remaining parent’s life. A loss that would be tough to replace. Indeed life could never be the same again.
Hence, from a living person’s point of view, it would seem that death is easy way out. Yet we fear death. I wonder if this was a fear planted in us right at the start as part of an instinct for survival. Really, why do we fear annihilation? Because of the things we want to do, but have not done? Is there really a complete list of things to do before one dies?
My conlusion? Another unanswered question..
In loving memory of Clayton, Wai Keat and Jun Hao.
