Saturday, September 11, 2004

Sorry, I am late, (again!)

As Sam snores softly while I drive our way to an old friend’s house, I became conscious of my own exhaustion. We’ve been shuttling for hours on the trafficky road, to get home, to eat, to deliver a gift to someone we love, to fetch Anjo from school (good that Han didn’t have to be fetched!), to bring Anjo home, and after I told Sam I wanted him to go with me to this wake, he said “Let’s get on and finish this day!”. Ok, let’s!

When I heard that Mel’s mom just died, I thought to myself “how sad”, another death; there have been some other parents’ death that we knew lately. I guess this age we’re in is a scary stage because it’s the age when our parents seemingly die. Isn’t it a bit troublesome to think you just might lose your parents soon? I’ve lost my Papa some years back, but I wince at the thought of losing my Mama. Come to think of it, these guys are “lucky” they’ve reached a ripe age and lived a full life. Some people die much earlier, some in their twenty’s, some in their teen years, some were even babies!

Oh well, there are different ways to die too, but I bet it’s not only me who wonder if there are also differences on what actually transpire after dying. What does really happen when we die? Death, I think, is one of the greatest mysteries there’s ever been. People are afraid of death because it is an unknown experience. We can only imagine, read, and theorize on what actually occurs, but we will never know what it truly is until we experience it ourselves. But, touchy, prospectively, one day, we too will be dead! So who’s scared? Not me, not now.

I think it’s going to be an awesome experience; dying to live eternally, well, if one has believed!. I am talking about real believing; the kind you do with your deepest self. Now don’t think too hard, because it is a gift that you will have to receive one special time in your life. Discover it yourself and have faith because good old amazing grace is still the bottom line of discovery. (God, please help me, I don’t want to be preachy but, please, can you reach my friends!) If that time comes, we can say, Death, where is your sting?

We finally arrived at the wake, and Sam got up from his sweet slumber, how i envy him. Suddenly, my friends were whimpering that I was late again! It’s no surprise for them to hear me murmuring , “ssssh, I’m sorry, I’m late ‘cause I was really busy, blah blah blah!”

BING L. HERNANDO slept soundly at 9/11/2004 08:18:00 AM