The tragedy of Phillip Hughes: The cricketer died doing something he loved

From the minute you are born, uncertainty kicks in. No one can definitely point out the trajectory your life will take. The only thing that someone can point out with certainty is that one day you will cease to exist, you will die. And death can come in many forms. A disease can eat you from within, an enemy bullet can consume you from outside, nature could crush you or lady luck could momentarily desert you and leave you vulnerable. Irrespective of the way death decides to embrace you, it is often tragic. But sometimes you are better prepared for that meeting. A critical disease or war prepares you to the thought that your hours on Earth are limited. When death comes in any other form, it is so sudden that it leaves everyone else around you grappling with unanswered questions. [caption id=“attachment_1824935” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  A smiling Phillip Hughes. Getty Images[/caption] The cricket world is currently in this state of shock. On 27 November it lost a son to a freak accident. The boy, Phillip Hughes, was just 25. He died three days before his 26th birthday. He died doing something he loved. He died with a cricket bat in his hand and dreams in his eyes. This story is so tragic that it causes heartache. The tragedy is magnified when one considers the way he died. He died playing a sport. For most of us, we play sport to get away from the troubles of our everyday lives. Sport offers us an escape in the same way the movies do, or going to a music concert. We play sports because it is not a chore. Of course, for Hughes, sport was also his livelihood. And it is ironic that the purpose of his existence became the reason for his death. Hindu philosophy states that every human has a purpose and once he/she fulfills that purpose the soul vacates that body and goes to the next. Maybe that is how one can rationalize a young person’s death. Life should after all be measured more by the impact you create rather than the time you spent on Earth. By this yardstick Hughes’ 25 years have already surpassed many a life. Hughes is the youngest batsman (at 20 years and 98 days) to score hundreds in both innings of a Test match. His tragic death should be a lesson to all that life is fickle. Be kind. Spread happiness. Live each moment with passion. Because unlike a game of cricket, death does not adhere to any rules or schedules.