Hey, Weyt a minit: What is life all about?

by Tita Kooks

A recent family crisis has brought me into thinking if I have really learned a lot about life. What is life all about?

Faced with a blow after blow as we get the bad news from our family and friends back in Manila, I felt so bad. Then, on 26 August, I got a text from my sister that my favourite cousin succumbed to breast cancer. She was just 49 and she was a mother to a daughter whom she loved to bits. I couldn't help but cry at the thought that August 2002 was all that was leftt of memories I have of her. I never thought the thing I fear most would come to me at an unexpected time... Frankly speaking, I suck at being lonely! I hate having to sulk down and shed tears. I have always been a happy person and FUN was middle name. I was actually very excited during those days as my brother from the US was to come and visit New Zealand. I have just been hyper and preparing all the activities we are set to do while my young bro is here.

I have always been thinking about death, pondering on thoughts about what if I get such kind of news about my family and friends? I prepared for the thought but never really prepared for the real thing, so they say... reality bites! It's sad that we have to be so far away from our family and relatives. What's even harder is for us not to be able to see them while they are still happy, alive and smiling. For some who has the chance to go back and join in the mourning or funeral some closure probably yet still, regrets. Regrets because we were not there to talk to them or spend time with them in their last few days or hours.

I wondered how one can truly prepare for the imminent possibility of having to live his or her last days and then leave for good. I am very emotional about these things just like any human being. I don't fear death but I dread having to hear that someone dear or someone I care about is facing this situation. So, what is life all about really? Living, loving, giving, enjoying and then dying? Is that life? There have been so many books written about life, so many amazing stories told about it too but, for each of us life has different meaning. We value different things. We consider and prioritise things quite differently and that's alright because we are unique from each other. i know sooner or later we all have to surrender our borrowed lives to the Almighty. Life is truly amazing, it's a mystery and we have to live it up to the fullest.

I am not sure if I've learnt all the things I need to know in this life but am certain about one thing... "Life is how we live it". We can't complain, we can't compare and find faults about what goes on in our lives especially if we have not done anything to improve and enjoy our life. I couldn't do much now about the loss in our family and I really regret not having the chance to tell my cousin I miss her. The last time we saw each other she said she wants to visit us here in New Zealand. Unfortunately, that's not going to happen now... but, God has his ways and his purpose.

Honestly, I may have questioned His way with my cousin a bit but, I truly believe HE knows what's best... As the saying goes, "A dying man needs to die as a sleepy man needs to sleep, and there comes a time when it is wrong as well as useless to resist."

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