Gone too Soon

I realize that the title of the post is similar to that of a MJ song, but there is no coincidence. Recently, my grandmother passed away at a relatively young age due to cancer. It felt and still feels extremely surreal and sometimes I do not even remember that she is gone.

While she was alive, I felt that she did live to the best of her abilities. She made plenty of good friends due to her good and loving nature, she traveled often and she will never let an opportunity to help anyone in need pass. What she left behind were good memories of her.

Throughout this time, waves of thoughts flowed through my mind:

1) We never know when the end will arrive - We often procrastinate what we want to do because we always believe that we can do it tomorrow, but what if tomorrow never comes and today is your last? If you knew the exact day and time you would die in advance, wold you live the way you are living now? Would you still plan to retire at 65 if you know you would die at 66? Hell no. The thing is that we do not know when it would happen. That said, we should not just let go and go mad. We should still save and plan for a long life, just in moderation. Balance the joy you desire between now and later. Die smiling with no regrets.

2) The people we leave behind are the ones who suffer the most - When she passed, I was there, together with a few close relatives. She did not suffer, was not in any kind of pain. She went peacefully( Thank God).
As for the rest of us, the emotional pain was excruciating. This was the first time I experienced such a close and loved relative pass away before my very eyes. But what I felt could not have been even a tiny fraction of what my Grandfather who has been her life partner, friend, confidant and soul mate felt. To me, he has always been a very strong man. Never complained, never cried and never troubled anyone for anything. When he broke down, you could really see how much love he had for her.  - I realize that this is what I want when I eventually die, to have people who love me surrounding me when I pass on.

3) We really have to set up a will, no matter how taboo it sound. - In this time and age, writing a will is less frowned upon but still a taboo subject. It will solve problems of who gets what. When it comes to money, it's really hard to tell. Maybe that's why they say that money is the root to all evil. Causes family conflicts and complications.

4) Just a memory - In the end, all we become is just a memory to those around us. And when they go, even that memory will cease to exist. We would just be a blip in the everlasting stretch of time, the fire in the matchstick that burn for the briefest of times. If that is the case, I want my matchstick to burn as bright as it can, no matter how brief. Let us live our lives to the fullest, love to the fullest, enjoy to the fullest to the best of your ability.

Joy and happiness does not have to cost a lot of money and spending a lot of money does not necessarily bring joy. Take an hour or two to think of what truly brings you joy. To me, joy is having my wife give me a loving hug when I return from work. Joy is going out with best of friends for a simple meal and having a ball of a time. Joy is seeing the look on my wife's face when I surprise her with a simple gift and most of all, joy is having family and friends who loves you for who you are.

As always, save more, spend less and invest wisely - not too much, not too little=)
P.