Certain Death

I remember some startled looks when I told people I would be going to Iran. Iran - of all places - the land of Ayatollah Khomeini, the leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which saw the overthrow of its Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. People always have a preconceived idea that Iran like some other countries in the Middle East should be shunned at all costs. Their names conjure a dangerous situation and people seem to think that you would die there. Some people would not even look beyond. The mere thought of one having to board a plane to any place at all send shudders up their spines and they think and speculate on airplane disasters and all sorts of things which spell certain death. Perhaps, the recent airplane crash of a Continental commuter plane into a house in suburban Buffalo, America would change some mindsets. The crash which killed 50, all the 49 on board the plane and one in the house that the plane crashed into, just about broke the myth that one ought to travel far and wide and to dangerous places to meet death. The fact is one can die just about anywhere even if it is in glamourous America and one can be at home too! Now, that just about reminds me of Life is uncertain, death is certain by the late Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda. Life is uncertain, death is certain is supposed to be a popular Buddhist saying, something that Buddha himself had uttered. Having been mentioned for so long now, perhaps it does not need to take a plane crash or something tragicto realise this natural phenomenon or is there really so much dust that covers our eyes?

For some Iran tales, check out Iran