Three greatest events worthy of celebrations : Birth, Life & Death

There are no greater events which need celebration than human birth, human, life and human death.  

Birth day is the most regularly celebrated event and it has significance only to the birthday boy or girl and some one who is very very close. Others are mere onlookers who, by compulsions of civility & courtesy, shower an occasional bouquet, gift, a phone call or an SMS in the least.

Celebration of life is a serious daily affair and is  an outcome of daily choices - rather a dozen choices each day – that one makes, which in turn build his life as though brick by brick.  The superficial life will be full of superficial celebrations – as we have seen in my earlier posts - like Hand Washing Day and Pop Corn Day and Ice Cream Day, while a more serious life is like that of Nick Vujicic  i.e. Life without Limbs - turned into- Life without Limit” - seen in another post! 

In Gujarati, one recent message I received is very inspiring and the key to Life Without Limit :

Celebration of Death is the only one where the ‘guest of honour’ himself is absent! Hence, what happens that day is all the more crucial to know! It depends on two things: the social customs and beliefs of each community or province and how the life was lived. The latter is a dull and mundane subject, full of subjectivity and more importantly, a sacred, private domain and therefore better not to touch it. The former - customs and beliefs - is the subject matter of this post.

The subject of death has been long held as one of permanent separation, grief, bereavement, mourning and remembrance. To the living, its undertone is that of morbid fear, of some thing demonic or satanic, some thing unwelcome or inauspicious.

The Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are respectively the creator, preserver and destroyer deities of the universe. Lord Shiva - the destroyer - appears in a meditating but ever-happy posture. The Lord's attributes represent his victory over the demonic activity, and calmness of human nature.

Shiva is worshipped in a popular form named Nataraj ( the King of Dance ). His dance represents both the destruction and the creation of the universe and reveals the cycles of death, birth and rebirth. His Dance of Bliss is for the welfare of the world. In the pose of Nataraj, under his feet, Shiva crushes the demon of ignorance ( caused by forgetfulness) . One hand is stretched across his chest and points towards the uplifted foot, indicating the release from earthly bondage of the devotee. The fire represents the final destruction of creation, but the dance of the Nataraj is also an act of creation, which arouses dormant energies and scatters the ashes of the universe in a pattern that will be the design of the ensuing creation.

In spite of all this positive symbols in praise of death, the spiritual knowledge is quickly vaporized in many a homes and the dead are remembered in a very solemn, seriously suffocating atmosphere where family members spend the inauspicious period of 16-days of worshiping the departed souls by shunning themselves from all important auspicious decisions and actions every year, without fail!

In contrast, if one has to see the true celebration of death , perfectly in line with that of birth, a quick arm-chair journey to Mexico and other Latino communities should suffice.Then, tie up the seat belts please on the journey of fun, frolic, beautifully created art work , all in celebration of dear, dear friend we call death – to witness Day of the Dead (El Día de los Muertos) ! This festival is noteworthy in several ways. The theme is to “remember the dead”, but the rituals are unimaginably explicit, entertaining, colourful and creative.

The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. The celebration occurs on November 1st and 2nd in connection with the Catholic holiday of All Saints' Day which occurs on November 1st and All Souls' Day which occurs on November 2nd. Traditions include building private altars honoring the deceased, using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these as gifts. Rituals celebrating the deaths of ancestors have been observed by these civilizations perhaps for as long as 2500–3000 years.

In most regions of Mexico, November 1 honors children and infants as "Día de los Inocentes" (Day of the Innocents) or  "Día de los Angelitos" (Day of the Little Angels) and November 2 as "Día de los Muertos" or "Día de los Difuntos" (Day of the Dead).

Beliefs

Some families build altars or small shrines in their homes which  usually have the Christian cross, statues or pictures of the Blessed Virgin Mary, pictures of deceased relatives and other persons, scores of candles, etc. Traditionally, families spend some time around the altar, praying and telling anecdotes about the deceased. In some locations, celebrants wear shells on their clothing, so that when they dance, the noise will wake up the dead; some will also dress up as the deceased.

Those with a distinctive talent for writing sometimes create short poems, called "calaveras" ("skulls"), mocking epitaphs of friends, describing interesting habits and attitudes or funny anecdotes.

A common symbol of the holiday is the skull (colloquially called calavera), which celebrants represent in masks, called calacas (colloquial term for "skeleton"), and foods such as sugar or chocolate skulls, which are inscribed with the name of the recipient on the forehead. Sugar skulls are gifts that can be given to both the living and the dead.

The traditions and activities that take place in celebration of the Day of the Dead are not universal and often vary from town to town. Some where there is also dancing with colorful costumes, often with skull-shaped masks and devil masks in the plaza or garden of the town.

In some parts of the country , children in costumes roam the streets, knocking on people's doors, for a calaverita, a small gift of candies or money; they also ask passersby for it. They also clean their houses and prepare the favorite dishes of their deceased loved ones to place upon their altar or ofrenda.

People bring offerings of flowers, photos, mementos, mentos, and food for their departed loved ones which they place at an elaborately and colorfully decorated altar. A program of traditional music and dance also accompanies the community event.

Some where,   Day of the Dead are highlighted by the construction and flying of giant kites in addition to the traditional visits to gravesites of ancestors. A big event also is the consumption of fiambre that is made only for this day during the year.

In the Philippines, , the tombs are cleaned or repainted, candles are lit, and flowers are offered. Entire families camp in cemeteries, and sometimes spend a night or two near their relatives' tombs. Card games, eating, drinking, singing and dancing are common activities in the cemetery. It is considered a very important holiday by many Filipinos.

“While it's strange for most of us to accept the fact that "death" and "festivities" can go hand-in-hand, for most Mexicans, the two are intricately entwined. This all stems from the ancient indigenous peoples of Mexico who believed that the souls of the dead return each year to visit with their living relatives - to eat, drink and be merry. Just like they did when they were living.

Tempered somewhat by the arrival of the Spaniards in the 15th century, current practice calls for the deceased children (little angels) to be remembered on the previous day (November 1st, All Saints Day) with toys and colorful balloons adorning their graves. And the next day, All Souls Day, adults who have died are honored with displays of the departed's favorite food and drinks, as well as ornamental and personal belongings. 

Flowers, particularly the zempasúchil (an Indian word for a special type of marigold) and candles, which are placed on the graves, are supposed to guide the spirits home to their loved ones.

This may all seem morbid and somewhat ghoulish to those who are not part of that culture. But, for Mexicans who believe in the life/death/rebirth continuum, it's all very natural. This is not to say that they treat death lightly. They don't. It's just that they recognize it, mock it, and even defy it. Death is part of life and, as such, it's representative of the Mexican spirit and tradition which says: "Don't take anything lying down - even death!"

First the graves and altars are prepared by the entire family, whose members bring the departed's favorite food and drink. Candles are lit, the ancient incense copal is burned, prayers and chants for the dead are intoned and then drinks and food are consumed in a party/picnic-like atmosphere. At 6:00 pm, the bells begin to ring (every 30 seconds), summoning the dead. They ring throughout the night. At sunrise, the ringing stops and those relatives who have kept the night-long vigil, go home.

( With inputs /extracts from Wikipedia &  Story compiled and written by Marvin H. Perton http://www.mexonline.com/daydead.htm)

Mexico celebrates a yearly tradition called Day of the Dead during the last days of October and the first days of November. Due to the duration of this festivity and the way people get involved it has been called "The Cult of Death."In this place, the spirits rest until the day they could return to their homes to visit their relatives.

The legacy of past civilizations is graphically manifested on this occasion through people’s beliefs that death is a transition from one life to another in different levels where communication exists between the living and the dead. This communication takes place once a year throughout the country.

This may all seem morbid and somewhat ghoulish to those who are not part of that culture. But, for Mexicans who believe in the life/death/rebirth continuum, it's all very natural. 

This is not to say that they treat death lightly. They don't. It's just that they recognize it, mock it, and even defy it. 

Death is part of life and, as such, it's representative of the Mexican spirit and tradition which says: "Don't take anything lying down - even death!"

 Therefore, the Day of the Dead in Mexico is not a mournful commemoration but a happy and colorful celebration where death takes a lively, friendly expression.What a friendly, joyful way to remember the departed dear ones !!

 With inputs & Extracts from  “ Mexico Celebrates Life” (http://www.dayofthedead.com/) by Journalist, Author, and Photographer, Mary J. Andrade

Thinking very highly of self ? Let Nick prick your ego balloon !!

Nick is 26 years old, was born in Australia,  went to a normal school and has completed double major degree in Finance & Accountancy. He has travelled all the six continents as an inspirational speaker, etc. What else? Oh yes, I forgot to tell that he also swims, plays golf, types at a speed of 42 words per minute ( faster than you and me ). And makes some money from stock market trading and real estate business. Charity? Certainly yeas. He runs a foundation also.

If you are questioning me why I am taking your time by dishing out  these stereotype 'qualifications' similar to hundreds of persons into whom you bump into now and then, please hold your breath! Nick is not like you and me! He is different. He is Nick Vujicic!  Ryan English has written beautifully about him and I invite you to http://www.salvationarmy.org.au/warcry/default.asp?contentID=1413.  Ryan writes:”

When Nick Vujicic was born, his mother didn’t want to hold him. In fact, she asked the doctors to take him away. ...‘My Dad did not think I would survive for very long,’ says Nick.  ‘But tests proved that I was a healthy baby boy with just one hitch: I’d been born without any limbs.’

Missing both arms at shoulder level, and having one small foot with two toes protruding from his left thigh, Nick was a complete surprise to his parents. Medicine has been unable to explain his condition and his mother was very careful during pregnancy, even avoiding pain-killers like Panadol. His parents, dedicated Christians, couldn’t help but ask themselves: ‘If God is a God of love, then why would he let something like this happen, and especially to devoted Christians?’ Understandably, they worried about the kind of life Nick would be able to lead.

It took them months to come to terms with the situation facing their firstborn. But they overcame their fears and worked hard to give him the best life they could, including attending school.  ‘I was the first disabled student to be integrated into a mainstream Australian school,’ says Nick. Like many things in his life, getting into the school he wanted was a fight. At the time, Australian law didn’t allow physically disabled children into mainstream schools, even if they weren’t mentally impaired. However, Nick’s mum fought to change the law, and won.

‘I liked going to school,’ says Nick. ‘I always tried to get myself involved as much as possible, and wanted to do what everyone else was doing.’ ...‘[But] it was very hard at times,’ he says, ‘because kids are kids.’

Nick was singled out and bullied by the other students for his physical differences.  ‘It was very hard to deal with that rejection at times—kids staring at me, laughing at me, making up names and all those sorts of things. ‘I went home crying a lot of times and asking “Why? Why did God do it?” and Mum and Dad told me, “Only God knows”.’

Blaming God for his disability, Nick didn’t want anything to do with him—a difficult thing in a Christian home. ‘I didn’t want to speak to him, I didn’t want to hear about him,’ he says. ........

At eight, Nick began to contemplate suicide. ‘I looked at my life and I thought, not going to get married, not going to have kids, not going to have family, not going to have a job, not going to be independent—all those things in life that everybody else takes for granted. I didn’t think that kind of life was worth living.

‘When I was 10 I actually tried to suicide by turning over in my family bathtub three times. What stopped me going through with it was the thought of leaving my parents with a lifetime of guilt on their shoulders, wishing they could have done something more for their son.’

Eventually, Nick found his way forward. Taking his parents’ advice, he began starting conversations with the people around him and anyone who treated him differently.

‘Soon the students realized I was just like them,’ he says.  Starting there, Nick never had any trouble making new friends. Than, at 13, Nick read a newspaper article that would change his life.

‘[It was] about a man who was disabled,’ he says. ‘I realized that I wasn’t the only person in the world in a situation that couldn’t be changed and didn’t make sense. ‘I realized I had a choice. Either I could be angry with God for what I didn’t have, or be thankful to God for what I did have.

Nick held out hope for a miracle, but eventually came to realize something: ‘If God doesn’t change your circumstance, then he’s going to use it.’

That realization gave Nick a new direction in life that many people wouldn’t have considered; to, as he puts it, ‘encourage and inspire others to live to their fullest potential and not let anything get in the way of accomplishing their hopes and dreams.’

So, from the age of 19, Nick began talking to people about his experiences—and now, at 26, he has built a life for himself that can only be called extraordinary.

‘I’ve learned to become independent and can now take care of all my personal needs.

‘I’m able to do everything from brushing my teeth and combing my hair to dressing up and taking care of my personal hygiene, including shaving.

‘I get around the house by jumping around and, outside the house, an electric wheelchair assists me.’

Nick has made a name for himself simply by overcoming challenges he sets for himself. He swims, drives a boat, enjoys fishing (with an electronic reel), plays soccer and, most recently, and has taken up surfing.  ‘They put me on the front cover of Surfer Magazine,’ Nick says. ‘It was fantastic. I was able to jump and spin myself 360 degrees around on the board—no surfer has ever done that before.’

......His real passion is motivational speaking, sharing his faith in God and his incredible story with anyone who wants—or needs—to hear it. Now living in Los Angeles, Nick’s story has put him in high demand. ‘I’ve spoken 1,500 times,’ he says. ‘Last year alone I travelled to 14 different countries and got to talk to more than 600 million people.’

He was awarded The Most Inspirational Life Award at the Christian Music Awards in California and now he is writing his first book, entitled No Arms, No Legs, No Worries!

The book is due for release in September next year, when Nick appears on Oprah—a long-time dream of his.

He’s achieved a lot, and is looking set to achieve even more, but does he still hold out hope for a miraculous healing? ( He says)

my motto ...... has been: if God doesn’t give you a miracle, then you are a miracle to someone else… I am a miracle just the way I am.’

- Ryan English

 Nick Vujicic's  Attitude is Altitude web site will interest you-  http://www.lifewithoutlimbs.org/

 Nick has a very great sense of humour: He says that not having arms or legs means no need for expensive shoes, wrist watch, ring, etc! When asked how he visions himself 20 years from now, he said - being married, and walking his daughter down the aisle.    

Coming back to the title of this post, I asked myself: how many years am I older than Nick? With all limbs in tact, how much have I travelled beyond Nick's journey of life? Where would I have been, if I were to be born like? How many people are there around us who have all limbs but no heart? 

After reading Nick’s journey, I have found   the answers. And the answers lie in attitude, confidence, will power, determination, faith & action and not words, not in excuses, not in blame game, not in overconfidence.

As the Nike  advertisement tells us – “Just Do it”; because life is short and tasks are endless.

Nick has shown us that it is in our hands to turn the 'life without limbs' into 'life without limit' .

Thank you and best wishes, dear Nick !!