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It's intriguing to think about how we honor our loved ones one last time after they have passed away from this world. We all get together and pay our last respects to the now lifeless body that used to be the vessel of the soul of someone dear to us. It's like a reunion, and together we reminisce about the old times and the memories that we have shared with this person.
Experiencing this event, I realized just how powerful being alive really is. This body is our shell wherein we get to communicate and express ourselves to other people. Each of us get to talk to each other and say how we feel, and we get to see what their reaction is, how they would respond back to us -- if they would laugh at our jokes or tell what their opinion is, or even cry and hug us when we tell them something that is emotional. All of that gets robbed from us when someone dies. During a wake, we exchange a lot of stories and in general think about that person all the time. But the bitter reality of life is -- we won't get to hear the voice of this person and see the reactions on all the things we want to say. The exchange of energy that's usually shared between the two of you is just now flowing one way and it feels so disorienting and confusing and frustrating for the giver.
When things like this happen, it's fascinating to observe how things we treat as "important and urgent" just naturally and easily fade in the background. All the things we spend countless hours of our lives into -- work, study, deadlines, exams, test results, etc. -- when things like this happen, we drop everything, and realize what's the most important thing of all amidst all the noise around us.
Death makes the living feel closer to each other. We appreciate each other for being there. We suddenly realize how much love we can pour out to the people that truly matters to us, and the feeling of compassion and empathy becomes overwhelming.
But we must realize that death is just as natural as being born. During that same day, I felt the fascination of seeing my two-month old nephew for the first time, adoring that innocent aura of a soul freshly brought into the world. I imagined what great things he could do in this life and how he will impact his family and others during his life.
The most heart-wrenching moment is that last goodbye before the dead are put to rest. Seeing those parental figures, who have become the pillars of my life, break down and cry is one of the most painful things to witness. And to hear a mother say her last goodbye to a son is deeply heartbreaking. 😔
And this is just how life is. We experience gains and losses in life. I recognize that this will happen to me too. One thing that I'm always praying to the Universe is to provide me with the tools to make things easy for me. Nobody said it was easy. I'm hearing Coldplay sing inside my head. Before, I used to ask the Universe to let me be prepared when it happens. But really, nothing prepares us when these things happen. Now, at the very least I pray to the Universe to give me a support system and the tools that I can use to make things easier.
These recent events just got me thinking a lot. This is just how life is. Truly bittersweet.
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