I was just thinking about Xianliang. He passed away and went to His Kingdom of Heaven a little more than 2 years ago.
The day i received the call from Xiangping, one of my church people, was the day I remember so clearly.
What would you do, if you knew that your best buddy, your childhood friend; the person whom you shared memories with since the dawn of memories, fell with a brain tumor? It wasn't benign. It was maglinant. In layman terms, cancerous and spreading. That night, pastor Xiangping called to tell me of the news.
I never told anyone, but I cried that night. I never show my tears. Not to anyone. I was totally broken, but hope remained. He is a Christian after all. Grew up in church, wrecked all sorts of havoc. He would get into fights with Nick Tan.
Those are nothing but memories now. Well, Xianliang has gone ahead, and Nick Tan has become a social delinquent.
Those, childish, innocent times.
The days where we played without a care in the world.
The days where going out to play was much better than playing computer games at home.
The days where I would always fall for the lame tricks those guys pulled on me.
Those days where we would get punished and sent outta Sunday School class, only to our delight. Made markings on a 10 kg stone cube to play dice with.
Where are all those people i grew up with? OUtta some many, only timothy, JJ and I are left in our little boy gang. Nick Tan, Yew Teng, Xianliang. One's in heaven. Two have strayed.
So what is life all about?
Its about appreciating what you have and what you don't.
The only day i showed my tears to anyone else was the day Xianliang left. I couldn't take it, the fact that I'll never hear him speak, never fall for his lame pranks, never go rockclimbing with that dude, never get pinched till bruises come up.
It was that day my best friend, the friend I grew up with went on ahead. I was only 18 then.
Jovial smiles, buzz cut hair, cheeky expressions and violent but caring nature.
What is life?
Life is something we don't remember to appreciate. Only when death comes, we appreciate the times.
What about people who die of hunger? People who are born with disabilities? I cringe when people tell me how crap their life is.
You are born normal. You are born without disabilities. Ain't that the best blessing ya got?
You're blessed you're not born just to die of hunger.
You're blessed you're not born to die without a roof over your head.
You're blessed to have been born without a disability.
You're blessed to have been born without fearing for survival.
You're blessed to have a family.
You're blessed, because you are living now.
Count your blessings, for goodness sake.
I cringe and feel dissapointment when people go on about their crappy lives.
Would you rather be born in a third-world country with nothing to eat?
Put yourself in a shoes of an 18 year old who's gotten brain cancer. A person who is just starting out to plan his life. Put yourself in the shoes of my dearest friend.
What about life? Tell me about it.
As i've always said. "The Unexamined Life is Not Worth Living."
Its overused. But it makes heck a lotta philosophical sense. Don't get me wrong. Philosophy aint something for snobs. Its just plainly a pursuit of truth and the greater good. Familiar? Yeap, it totally walks in line with God.
God Bless Aaron, Uncle JinHua and Cousin.
