NDE

NDE or near death experience is a much followed subject for there is something eerie and chilling about death and NDE is just a step before it. While it’s not uncommon for patients battling with terminal illness to go through an occasional NDE ( in fact the experiences of those who were brain dead for some moments and then revived have been documented extensively), it could be several times more chilling if in frame of mind of happiness and holiday, you come across one.

The background of the above is today’s encounter with death that we had. On a holiday and in a very happy relaxed frame of mind, looking forward to a great day ahead after sumptuous breakfast, we boarded the lift from our floor, to be stuck midway. The lift stopped with a jerk and it was pitch dark inside with only me and my wife. We thought it would be a momentary power failure with lift to be switched over to backup power supply, but seconds ticked by , while we grappled with emergency bell and tried calling for help using the speaker provided in the lift. But no help seemed to be forthcoming. I tried opening the doors of the lift forcibly, but to no avail. I had started experiencing asphyxiation and my wife, who is usually cooler under such circumstances also seemed to be in distress and agony. We were shouting from inside and slamming on the doors seeking help.

As seconds ticked by, I was out of my wits staring at the tragic eventuality. However, it was not to be as the power could be restored and we landed on the desired floor after an excruciating period of may be 2-3 minutes.

Are we wiser by the experience? There can’t be any great wisdom to be gained out of such an experience as we can’t stop using lifts! Only learning is about the fragility and uncertainty of life and the need to live it fully and well.