I finally finished the book I started on the night of the TAJ MAHAL terror attack, about the life of Tibet's great XIIth Century yogi master MILAREPA (details available on request for those of you interested). Strange feeling to close the book, since it has been with me all through these days in Mumbai and after back in Singapore. After close to 6 weeks and well into the new year, it might be time to cover the impact the events had on me in more details.
Has it changed the way I look at life ?
Not really.
I always thought that life is neither good nor bad, it just IS and we decide which side we want to see. And I don't believe there is any meaning in what happened, or in the fact I survived. Actually if there was a meaning in my escape, wouldn't it mean there is also a meaning in the fact so many people died ? That is not something I'm ready to accept.
In the end these events - like everything else which happens in our existence - will be given meaning by the way I carry on with my life from now on. But one thing which has changed is the fact I have become more conscious of my own frailty, the limited time I have at my disposal. Making me feel more present and focused on the moment at hand.
Buddhists masters such as MILAREPA teach that the first path towards enlightment is the realization of the impermanence of life. Maybe this is what happened, giving me a chance to build on this experience and learn how to become a better person. Let me wish you exactly the same for 2009 !
