A friends family arrives to my Goa home every year during the new year eve. We play a little music, we discuss life, we visit a Japanese restaurant for lunch, we grill some fish and vegetables for the eve, we dry some coconuts and make oil, and sometimes we exchange musical instruments. I gave Mallika my guitar for a year couple of years back, I gave Mallika and Gokul a few drum lessons and sold Gokul drums last year, and this year Mallika left her guitar for me.
Trying to play a song a day, three days back I tried the song 'Heart of Gold' by Neil Young; turned out quite nice. Shared it with a few friends on a WhatsApp group of close friends whom I have known for two decades at least and for some reason I asked them to share their music and other creative experiments too, "Life is short" I told them, with no apparent context.
The next day we hear that one of the friends in the group Ashwin is no more. Passed away in Valparai, Tamil Nadu. Most of us on that group and many other folks who have known him are in shock and disbelief. He was one of the nicest, warmest, kindest persons I know. I had met him in Mysore around 2010 and we shared some pork recipes, few beers and some field tales. I visited him at this field station from where he was monitoring and helping mitigate human-elephant conflict for years.
As I absorb the tragedy and come to terms with life, I do realise something even more deeply what I've known and was aware for years. If you have a wish list, a desire to do something, a craving to learn something new, an old friend to catch up with who you have forgotten for a while just because life came in between, a desire to get healthier, want to try running a marathon, or anything else, do it Now! For years, I have been wanting to get back to writing and the inertia just kept it that way, but this shock has made me want to pursue everything I have been thinking I will do tomorrow, next month, next year, now.
Life is indeed short and this man with a heart of gold will always live in my memory.
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