Life is uncertain - Death is certain
26 July 2008
Just been informed that a close friend died suddenly. We were friends for a long time. We were colleagues working together at the airport. We were in the same team.
Friendship lasted even after we left our airport job and doing our own stuff. Even though each of us carried on with our own journey in life, we still kept in touch - even though sometimes it could be a few months or longer that we do not see each other.
His death came as a shock becos he wasn't ill or anything like that where you could at least be mentally be prepared for the worst.
I know that in Buddhism, death is part of the cycle of life and death. Death is a release from this life of suffering. Death should be taken 'as it is' - neither happy or sad.
But I'm a sentient being. I'm still not enlightened. I'm still affected. It is easy to say but not easy to do.
27 July'08
This morning while waking up, I was thinking if it was just a bad dream. Part of me is still in denial, that he will call me and go "Hello Mrs. Leong" in his cheeky tone. But alas...........
Went to his funeral and cremation. Seeing him lying there in the coffin - it seemed so surreal.
31 July 2008
Attended his Memorial service at The Buddhist Library.
I'm beginning to come to term that he is really gone. A part of me felt a little angry - questions of why he have to go so suddenly especially since he had just come back from his Buddhist pilgrimage, why did he have to go since he's a good person - I wanted to ask the monk that but then I guess I know deep down that it was his time. Comforting to know also that he had enjoyed his pilgrimage which aptly was his last journey in this life.
For me, even though I've been reading about Buddhism - with his death, I've realised that I'm still very attached to "attachment". Guess I've got a long way to 'enlightenment'.
Good-bye Ronald from all your friends in this life-time, I'm sure we will meet again in the next life.........
(Died : 25 Jul'08 / Cremation : 27 Jul'08 / Sea-Burial : 28 Jul'08 / Memorial : 31 Jul'08)
"Death is not the end and each birth too is not the beginning of a life.
In fact, death is the beginning of life and conversely birth is the ending of life.
It is just one part of a whole process, a whole cyclic process of birth, death, rebirth and dying again"
- passages from a Buddhist perspective -
10 July 2008
Was invited by hubby's boss, who was also my indirect ex-boss to his parents' 50th Wedding Anniversay at the Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa.
A very grand affair. There was a traditional Indonesian dance and there was a live band playing jazz styled love songs and of cos some Indonesian songs too. The female singer is very, very good - fantastic voice - think she might be some kind of a celebrity singer in Indonesia as everybody started clapping when she came in.
The usual menu like in a Chinese wedding but the food was delicious compared to some others I had tasted in S'pore. So brides-to-be, this is a venue to consider.
The one item that I liked was of the video montage of the parents' old pics when they were young and when they got married and the video recording of wishes from their children and relatives.
Tried to take some pics with my camera-phone but not too good leh. Some pics did not turn out nice and so cannot put it up.
FG (hubby's boss) at our table.
FG's son played an electric guitar on stage and his daughter sang some songs. Very talented and musically inclined kids.
FG's parents and all their relatives on stage.
With LY, my ex-colleague.
50 years, that's really a long marriage. In view of how marriages are rather short-lived nowadays, that's really an achievement.
I'm already bugging hubby that we should have a big party when we cross the 10th year mark. My dream is to have a party with songs from the 80's to dance to like Bee Gees, Abba, Michael Jackson etc... Yes, LY, I'll definitely invite you.
We would have been married for 7 years at the end of this year. Wow, frankly, it does not feel that long to me. That's a good sign, right? It means I'm not sian of him, ha ha...
We were at a petrol kiosk to pump in petrol.
Hubby : Uncle, I want Power 92.
Attendant A (in hokkien) : Li eh chia si Mercedes, Power 92 oi gow power?
(your car is a Mercedes, Power 92 enough power for your car?)
Hubby (in his terrible Hokkien) : Oi sai, wa tak pai yong Power 92, oi gow power
( Can! I always use Power 92, enough power!)
Hubby went inside the petrol station to pay the cashier, whereas I remained in the car and overheard the following exchanges :
Attendant B came over to talk to A : hee eh chia oi sai yong Power 92 meh?
( his car can use Power 92 meh?)
Attendant A : Yi gong oi sai leh... ( he said can leh)
Attendant B : mer si chia got power boh, si boh Liu Power!
(it's not whether car got power or not, it's no Money Power!)
Ha ha ha, the uncles were rather witty and funny. Luckily hubby thought it was hilarious too and was not offended when I told him what was said.
