Where am I ?Why am I here and not somewhere else? Walking along sun-kissed beach in the evening, I ponder on old-fashioned but philosophical question. Yes , I won't ask myself at least if I really exist in reality because it's a debate between Idealist and empiricist. I am not a Philosopher either to ask such questions . Maybe Descartes is right when he says,
“I think, therefore I am”
Or maybe Plato is right when he says that the physical world around is not real. My fundamental question is, why am I here? What is the purpose of life ? And what will happen to me after death . Yes , I do admit that religion has answered this question time and again, but not a single human being has described what will happen in the next world. There were 61 million people who died in 2023. Have anyone thought about it where have they gone? And let's say for sake of argument that if rationalist believe that ideas are derived only from fives senses, then no one has ever explained what happens after death . Since there is not even a single person on earth who explained life after death; whether we consider that all the ideas regarding resurrection are merely assumptions. That is why science has failed to answer this question, too.
I still remember that my beloved uncle died two months ago, and it was such heart-wrenching grief for the entire family. It's terrible pain, and I have not healed yet . By the grace of God, my parents are still alive, but I live with anguish in my life. What if God unwillingly something bad happens to them in the near future. We do know that no one can stop death. Death is a painful reality, and I have accepted it. Never did I deny this reality. So, what is the anguish inside my heart ? Is it fear of unknown? How will I cope with the reality of living without someone who is close to my heart, or let's put it this way how my relatives will feel on my death. Also, whether we earned good rewards in the next world ?Religion has given me comfort, but no one can ultimately declare victory as God only knows that if we have succeeded. Yes, I believe in the promise of God that we all will be resurrected, but I have the fear of unknown. I don't know if I have passed the test in this world?
Religion and faith helped me to lessen the pain of grief. However, this is not the reason why I turned towards religion. I commit sins sometimes intentionally or unintentionally and repent to God to forgive my sins. Also, I do not absolutely believe in the metaphysics theory of James . William James states
“if the hypothesis of God works satisfactorily
in the widest sense of the word, it is true”
It is unfair to accept the truth of theological proposition only because it contributes to satisfaction and comfort. Bertrand Russell's' objected on James theory of pragmatisms. The point I want to drive home is that I am not here to start a debate between religious and irreligious minded people. I just wanted to share my anguish that life has so many comedies and tragedies. We all have already suffered painful realities, or maybe there are more tragedies in the future for which we need to be prepared. Yes, there is always hope. God has not sent us to make our lives miserable. Optimism is a weapon for believers. I did not solve the problem of the unknown, and I will always have this anguish in my life . I will also have the fear of the unknown forever in my mind, but I have to live with it . One has to plan things as if he is going to live for a thousand years or forever. The fact that I exist now is a blessing of God. The fact that I am walking along the beach is a blessing . The fact that I am writing these words is also a blessing. The fact that you are reading this piece of writing is also a blessing .
I will have the fear of the unknown in the future , but this world is my reality . I want to make it a beautiful experience. I want to sense all the blessings of God before I die. I don't know exactly where I am now and whether I face victory or defeat in the future, but this world is my blessing. If God has given me the opportunity to reflect on such questions here, then I need to observe every beautiful thing that exists in this world . I stopped writing as I experienced the last glow of the sunset. The roar of sea waves in the evening tells me to go home and come again with another philosophical question.
Thank you for stopping by and reading.