17/07/2025
Only the Death Certificate Remains
A retired Police Commissioner had recently moved out of his official residence into his own house, nestled in a quiet colony. He took great pride in his accomplishments and his former stature.
Each evening, he would go for a walk in the neighborhood park. Yet, he neither greeted nor acknowledged anyone. He believed the others in the colony werenât of his status â not worth his time or attention.
One day, while he was sitting on a park bench, an elderly man came and sat beside him. The man began a friendly conversation, but the Commissioner wasnât interested in listening. Instead, he talked only about himself â his rank, his authority, his achievements. He often reminded others that he lived here not by necessity, but because he owned the property.
This routine continued for several days. The elderly man listened quietly each time, never interrupting.
Then, one evening, the old man finally spoke.
âCommissioner Sahib,â he said gently, âan electric bulb has value only while it shines. Once it burns out, it doesnât matter whether it was a 10-watt or a 100-watt bulb. All burnt-out bulbs are the same â silent, lifeless, forgotten. Iâve been living in this colony for five years, and not once have I told anyone that I served as a Member of Parliament â twice.â
The Commissionerâs expression shifted.
The old man continued, his voice calm.
âYou see the man sitting to your far right? Thatâs Mr. Verma. He retired as a General Manager from Indian Railways. The man heâs chatting with â Rao â is a retired Lieutenant General from the Army. And the one quietly walking in white, thatâs Mr. Shiva. He was once the Chairman of ISRO. None of them speak of their past titles. They donât feel the need to.â
âIâm only telling you what I know,â the man said, pausing before he added,
âBecause at the end of the day, we are all burnt-out bulbs. Whether we were zero-watt, 40, 60, or 100-watt â whether we were LED, CFL, halogen, or decorative â once the power is gone, weâre all the same.â
âAfter retirement, whether you were a Police Commissioner or a Police Constable, it no longer matters.â
He looked at the Commissioner thoughtfully and said,
âThe rising sun and the setting sun are both beautiful. But the world bows only to the rising one. Thatâs just human nature. We must accept that reality.â
âOur titles, our positions â they are all temporary. If we let them define us, weâre bound to be lost when they leave us.â
âIn chess, every piece â the king, the queen, the bishop, the pawn â has its value only while the game is in play. When itâs over, theyâre all returned to the same box and the lid is shut.â
He smiled softly, looking around at the people in the park.
âSo be happy in the moment. Hope for happiness in the future. But never cling to what is no longer yours.â
âNo matter how many medals or certificates we collect in life, in the end, everyone receives just one. The Death Certificate
CTTO
