Rest In Peace

Emotional, I am currently. A million and one things (if not more) happened to a billion (if not more) of us on this blue marble on 6 December. It was the day when frustration got the better of me and it became the day of birth for this blog. Yet, in another place, far, far away from this little island which I had grown to dislike increasingly, a life was taken away from one who had aspirations far greater than me, with my life.

I have no idea why and how this wonderful person whom I have never met can effect such a surge of emotions from within me, just a day after I felt frightfully low for the first time in many months. Now, I am inspired once again to hold the miracle of life in my hands and cradle it, like a precious gift from Up Above. It brings everything I believe about life into perspective and an almost drastic paradigm shift. Suddenly it feels wrong to laugh or smile or to crack a nonsensical joke, when someone who craves for life so desperately just so that spending a mere second more with the people she loves most and cares about will be like a second spent in paradise for her. I have something that she does not have and sadly, it was wrenched away from her grasp, while I, with all its abundance, have despised it and even hated it like an enemy.

Death is never celebrated or embraced, in the grand scheme of things. Humans celebrate birthdays, weddings and anniversaries. Until today, I have not fully grasped the reason why these seemingly frivolous activities are celebrated with such joy and fun. Now, I have finally come to terms with why they are such vital events in anyone’s life. They represent mere moments and intervals of life when humans can get to hold on to something which will never be repeated again, be it in the form of spoken words or captured images. Hearing the words or being able to see the face of one, whom you never got to meet again, can never be replaced by anything else in this world.

That is why humans take photographs during birthday celebrations. That is why humans take videos during weddings.

I have another perspective of life now. Maybe it will fade away, like all other perspectives I have held in the past. Maybe it will be quickly forgotten while I plough through the tasks I have on my plate in the coming hours, days or weeks. Yet, this little revelation, brought about by someone’s untimely demise, has spurred me on towards loving my life… and the people around me, no matter how unlovable they are.

Rest in peace, Miss Grace Chow. Your words and life have touched many, not the very least, myself.