Body worlds

When I visited NY last week, my friend Bala said that there are a few exhibits on human anatomy in the american museum of natural history. Unfortunately, on account of renovation that part of the exhibition was closed for visitors. I was listening to houston FM when I returned and there was an advertisement for Body Worlds 3 - an exhibition on human anatomy with the aid of real dead bodies. I visited the natural sciences museum today where this exhibition is taking place. The work on dead bodies to bring them to such levels as being a reservoir of valuable information on the complex processes - be it digestion, transfer of electrical signals by neurons or be it the functioning of some of the smallest arteries in our body - was marvellous. A German anatomist had used his patented method called Plastination to preserve the bodies. To me, the exhibits symbolically portrayed the profundity of the essence of nature and its evolution. They displayed such things that will be frozen in time between one's death and decay. They displayed on one hand, how simple life is and on the other hand, how complex it is. It is a pity that the tryst with my inner self cannot be captured and cherished, as photographs were not allowed inside the hall. It is a shame that circumstances changed and with them, my ambition. Choosing to become a doctor is a noble deed. I loved that profession and I still do, primarily for two reasons. First, the profession itself is driven by a noble cause. Secondly, as much as I can remember with my limited knowledge, this is the only field wherein a person is addressed by his profession, which is something to be proud of. I do not expect to be called as 'Engineer Balaji Varadharajan'! I wish those circumstances had not changed. I wish I had realized my ambition of becoming a doctor. First is a regret...Second remains a wish...


Adios.