Serendipity
Life, Death
Yes, I'm going for the big time today. I'm going to talk about two heavyweights: life and death. After weeks of not being able to write anything, my legions of fans (composed mainly of family members and an old classmate I haven't seen in years who told me he was an avid Serendipity reader) have probably figured out by now that my absence was caused by more than just a case of pure laziness. It would be trivial of me if I go on a tirade about birds nest hairdos, tabagak stories or the universal maxim that says: never forward/email letters that are badly written especially when your aim is to destroy someone's reputation with untruths. Karma will get you or you'll get your ass sued.
But I digress. What I really want to say is that as usual, life got in the way of my column writing and it came in the form of death. My father-in-law passed away two weeks ago and in between the wake, the planning for the burial and other funeral arrangements, there was that ultimate realization of how fleeting and short life is.
We all know about that of course, we always say that we should make the most out of life before death takes us away. But somewhere along the way between life and our impending death, we forget. We get sidetracked by trivialities, by the rigors of daily life, by too much work, school, or by our leisurely pursuits. And, before we know it, the candles of life are snuffed out from us – sudden and swift.
But the question is, how do we really make the most out of life? When we are burdened by responsibilities, mouths to feed, businesses to run and people who make life hell because of their stupidity and lack of intelligence, how can we begin making the most of our lives? If we're angered by hypocrisy and injustice, slowed down by our hate and hampered by people's envy, can we really say to ourselves that this is the day we will forgive, forget and make peace?
On the other hand, if we had limitless financial capabilities and no responsibilities, will we be able to think about making a difference in our lives or in other people's lives? Or would we sink even lower by drowning ourselves with material things and senseless pursuits of pleasure?
When I think about it now, making the most out of life is not all about grand gestures. It's not about making a cataclysmic difference in the lives of hundreds of people. It's not all about feeding the poor (although that would be great), joining the Salvation Army or Greenpeace, or orchestrating a melodramatic peace party where you gather all of your sworn enemies and hug, kiss and make up.
For me, making the most out of life is simply turning ordinary moments into extraordinary joys. Saying “I love you” to your husband, your wife and your kids at the end of the day and when you wake up; sincerely praising someone who has done a good job; treating your helpers kindly; saying thank you to the grocery cashier or bagger who helped you with your groceries; calling a friend and simply saying hello, I'm here if you need me; paying your employees the salary they deserve or by just keeping quiet and not striking back even if someone has done you a grave injustice.
Making the most out of life, as what Oprah says, is living our best life. Remember that life is not asking too much from us. It is in fact through the simple gestures that we can really make the most of our lives. Yes, life is short and fleeting. Death is always near. But today we are alive -- and that makes all the difference.