A Funeral for A Friend

How short life is... With a sudden turn of events, someone overflowing with youth, energy and laughter can very quickly become incapacitated and then no more.  No more.  The end for this life.  How fragile we are. 

Like a straight right from a boxer, you can't see it coming.  And then when you're reeling in the canvass, only then will reality slowly set in.  By the time you realize it, it's already over. 

Today, a friend of mine died.  It was very tragic and sorrowful.  Still young and full of ambition, her death was certainly far-fetched to say the least.  But sadly, it did happen.  Her life was only to last until today.  And now, she is no more...   She was still present in our weekly fellowships the last week.  Everything seemed to be just fine.  And then suddenly news of her being ill was quickly circulated through text message.  They said she was vomiting blood and feeling very weak.  Then like a withering flower, her condition worsened by the hour.  By then, she was transferred to the ICU.  And by that time, my friends had an uneasy and bad feeling that she is slowly losing grip of her life.  (Three years ago, I had a friend who also died not long after being admitted in the ICU).  The following day, before high noon, she was pronounced dead.  And just like that, a beautiful soul has just been taken away from us.  Just like that, she now becomes a distant and pleasant memory.  Just like that, the world has become an even more ephemeral place than ever before. 

Tragic events like these make us ponder about our own lives.  Our own death.  The big question of when always comes to mind.  No matter about the how and why, for all of us will die in one way or the other.  But the timing is something all of us seem to have a difficult time accepting.  Death when anticipated is almost always easier to accept.  God though will always have HIS own plans.  And we are not in the position to question nor refuse.  When we learn to accept this, realizations start to creep into our minds.  We realize our insignificance.  We realize how transient life is.  We realize the things that we were pondering about the other day were not that important after all.  We realize that we are running out of time also.  We realize that we can only do so much before our time's up.  We realize that it is NOW that matters and not tomorrow nor yesterday.  We realize that we have to run the race, fight the good fight and spread the WORD because ultimately this is what will only matter in the end. 

I have my own personal insights about this tragedy.  It is with sad and remorseful heart, to say that I haven't even spoken a single word to this friend of mine.  And now, it's all too late.  I saw her one time in a restaurant.  She approached the same ala carte section where I was standing.   I knew it was her the moment I saw her, but I didn't even bother to greet her.  I knew that she recognized me.  But my coldness and introvert personality won over me.  And I just walked away.  Looking back, I don't know if I could have made such a difference by greeting her.  But who knows?  Maybe she was waiting for me to strike up a conversation also.  Maybe she was waiting all this time to talk to me also.  Maybe I could've made her day brighter by a smiling "hello".  Who knows?  No one will ever know now...  Not me, and obviously not her.  Learned this lesson today:  Never take anyone or anything for granted.  If you want to do something, do it now!  If you want to say something, say it now!  Seize the day!  For tomorrow is too uncertain for today's matters.