My former colleagues and I went to a co-worker’s wake today. It’s sad to realize that wakes have become a common venue for get-togethers and seeing old faces. However, no matter how we try to deflect that fact, there will come a time (and age) when it becomes very real and palpable.
Anyway, our officemate died a sudden, unexpected death; that was why the news came as a shock to many of us who knew him. What made it even more startling was that he was a health-conscious guy; he lost a huge amount of weight about 8 years ago, he watched what he ate, jogged regularly, and loved the outdoors.
He climbed mountains, dove deep into open waters, and went on many random adventures with his family. He was a really good guy who loved life. Unfortunately, an aggressive type of cancer claimed his life at a young age. No one would ever have guessed that his time on earth was already numbered.
While we were talking about his travels, we couldn’t help but remark on how he was trying to do all the things he wanted to do in quick succession. It was as if he had a bucket list that he fancied ticking off in the shortest possible time.
In retrospect, it was like he knew he only had limited time left in pursuing his goals. Of course, that was just an expression. Nobody wants their life to be cut short, especially if you have loved ones who are counting on you.
However, this is also a timely reminder for us to do the things that make us happy because life is unpredictable. We don’t know if we will still be here tomorrow. But when it’s already our time to go, we can say that we’ve lived a fruitful life with no regrets. Or the people around us can say that we lived a purposeful life.
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