DEATH is inevitable. As it has been said, the moment we are born we move closer and closer to death.
Yet, always, death takes us by surprise. I’ve had to deal with two friends’ deaths just when I was still recovering from the death of my three rescue kittens from feline parvo virus. The death of Rein, the ever-smiling environmentalist, stunned me. It was more stunning because just a few hours after learning she lost the battle with cancer, she was already going to be buried. Everything was too sudden.
Now I understand what a person once said that vigils for the dead are actually for the living. These few days are for those left behind to come to terms with the passing away of a loved one.
I’m just glad that I made time to attend even as the funeral service was held just hours after because I couldn’t even attend a single day of the novena at the family’s home in Ulas and I’m going to Manila as the nine days end. At least, on that rainy day, I was able to say goodbye to her in my prayers, along with all those who came to grieve and condole.
Even as Rein’s death still feels surreal, Gov Cora leaves the body as well and this time I only have regrets.
She has been in my thoughts the past days, thinking that I haven’t dropped by to visit since she won as governor again. I wasn’t even aware that she has been in the hospital since June 9. There were just those stray thoughts coming in, wondering when I’d go see her again.
She was a friend although I opted not to brandish that friendship around since she’s a politician and I’m a journalist. But she was. Now I have to wait for my turn to see her in the after-life.
Indeed, death is inevitable but always comes as a surprise. And us, the ones left behind, are left to try to comprehend that void good friends leave behind as they pass on to higher vibrations.
Bye, Rein. Bye, Gov Cora. Enjoy your spiritual liberation and watch over all of us. It’s sad that you had to leave when your lives were taking on yet more meaningful turns, but your assignment here on Earth in this lifetime is done and all we can do is grieve and deal with the should’ves and could’ves. But like life, we know that even this period shall pass. In the meantime, I both grieve and celebrate as only death can make us.
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