The New Year

I know it is April already and only now I am starting to write about the new year. After all the holidays and feasting of the new year, almost the rest of January was spent on preparations in ushering in The Chinese New Year - The Year of Rabbit which we celebrated on the 3rd February 2011.

On the 17 January, when I was still in new year mood and preparing for the Chinese New Year, bad news arrived. Tan, my high school mate had passed away last night. Apparently he was taking his nap when his wife (who has been my friend since primary school ) found him semi-conscious. By the time para-medics arrived they failed to revived him and the rest was history. He left behind his aged parents and three young sons aged 16, 14, and 12.

Within a week of Tan's demised, my nephew who was 36 died in his sleep. He left behind his parents (my cousin sister and her husband) both about 60 years old, a 4 year-old son and a two months pregnant wife.

Their untimely death came so sudden and shocked their close ones, friends and relative to the bones. It seems life is so unpredictable. Therefore I have made a note that there are three things which we cant delay. There are 1) filial piety 2) being human - do good cause and 3) be as healthy and fit as possible. It is very important to set my priorities right in my daily life.

For a start I have made a pledge to donate a small sum to UNICEF on a monthly basis.

I once read the book 'Tuesdays With Morrie' by Mitch Albom and I remember sentences like "Death is as natural as life" "Learning how to die is learning how to live" "make peace with living" "All things born are bound to die" "We could die anytime" etcetc. So after some deep and thorough thinking I did some research, went shopping and finally decided on a final resting place for myself.

My next biopsy should be some time in June. For the time being I just keep a healthy lifestyle and I vowed to enjoy life in health and in sickness.