Vidita Mishra, Grade IX, Laurels International School
Today, I want to share a perception I truly believe in. It is about something most of us fear yet seldom try to understand—death.
Why are we so afraid of it? Why do we let it trouble us? Have we ever really thought about what it is? Is it the truth, the end, or just another part of life?
To me, death is not separate from life—it is part of it, as natural as our height increasing, our nails growing, or our thoughts and needs changing with time. Isn’t all this part of life? Of course it is. Yet we hardly ever consider death in the same way. And when the thought does come, we tremble. But why? We already know that being immortal is not an option, not a choice.
And think about it—what would immortality even mean? Would it mean watching your loved ones die before your eyes, one by one? Would it mean being fed up with your own life, your decisions, and your regrets?
People often ask, “What was the most regrettable part of your life?” And perhaps the answer might be, “My entire existence.” Imagine carrying that burden forever, with no end, no escape. You cannot even end your life to rest in peace, because immortality would trap you endlessly.
Some may think of it as a dream—but even dreams fade. Immortality may sound powerful, but it could easily turn into an eternity of loneliness and pain.
Picture this: digging a hole in the ground and sitting in it for millions of years, without food or water, because you don’t need them anymore. Time passes, the Earth itself comes to an end, and you are left floating through the universe. What an experience that would be! But would you truly enjoy it?
That is the real question.
Life, however, gives us something different. It gives us years—years to live, to love, to meet people, to build relationships, and to experience joy. In the later years of life, you can reconnect with those you once knew, do the things you loved, or discover something new. Most importantly, you have the blessing of an end.
Because if something has a beginning, it must also have an end. That is what gives it meaning.
Life is not about what time steals—it is about what it leaves behind.
And sometimes, when we fall, it is only because there is something down there we are meant to find.