विना दैन्येन जीवनम् Vinaa-Dainyena Jeevanam

Last two days, I had been running back and forth to the local hospital. 
While sitting in the ER waiting room and seeing some of the patients there, two very strong thoughts took over my mind. 
Being healthy and independent are the two best things in everyone's life - the best gifts one could ask or pray for. Suddenly, I remembered a wonderful shloka; a prayer that we used to recite every morning in my childhood – at home and at the temple:

अनायासेन मरणं विना दैन्येन जीवनम् ।
देहान्ते तव सायुज्यं देहि मे परमेश्वरम ॥ 

Anaayaasena maranam, Vinaa-dainyena jeevanam 
Dehaantay tava saayujyam dehi may Parmeshvaram

Meaning:
Death without exertion; Life without affliction; 
Thy proximity (Attainment of thy abode) upon leaving the body - grant me these O' Lord. 

I had seen Bhapa Ram Chand ji Kapurthala and Bhagat Ram ji Barnala repeating a phrase in Urdu several times a day, and always finishing their Sumiran with: “Hey Ghareeb-nawaaz, kisi da mohtaaz na kareen” – “Paatshah mainu Be-mohtaaz rakhin”. 
I had also seen many elderly Muslim friends in Jammu, Rajouri and Poonchh repeating the same Duaa – which means O’ Lord – Please grant me independence – Do not make me become dependent on any one. 
Therefore, 
First: Not becoming dependent - being able to function and take care of oneself is the best thing one could ask for.  

And second – seeing the family members and friends of those patients helping their loved ones made me realize that if something like this does happen and you really need some help from others - then it’s really the family and the close friends who are there to support and take care of you.

Philosophically – “Makhlooq saari hai kunbaa Khuda ka” - 
The whole humanity is one family – family of one God.
But practically – no one can possibly help and take care of billions of people living on the planet.
One needs his or her ‘immediate’ family and friends who will immediately come forward to help in time of need.  

                               ‘Rajan Sachdeva’