Life is Short « Leap of Faith!

Posted by: Leap of Faith! | April 28, 2008

Life is Short

Last week, our family watched this episode on Oprah about this man who was diagnosed to have pancreatic cancer. His name is Randy Pausch, a Carnegie University professor, a best selling author, a dedicated husband and loving father of three. He struck me because, despite his painful illness, he continues to have a very positive disposition and remains very optimistic (hopeful) that he will get well soon.

Despite this positive attitude, he still decided to prepare a brief talk (fatherly advice) for his two boys and baby girl. Of course, given their age, he plans for them to listen to his lecture when the right time comes. In the mean time, he decided to share his thoughts to his student through his “Last Lecture” in the University. Nedless to say, his words touched so many people that his lecture was published into a book. Also, Oprah asked Randy to share his lecture on her show in order to inspire more people.

On a slightly different note, my friend Meeya also shared to me this site about a young Filipno boy named GJay, who was travelling to the US with his family for the first time. Like most vacations, his story would have ended happily had it not been for this very tragic car accident, which took his life shortly upon his arrival in California.

Reading GJay’s story made me very sad. However, it also made me realize that life is so short. Anyone can die at any moment - even during a supposedly fun-filled vacation.

It is because of this that I decided to take this opportunity to say I love you to my wife, Pinky, and to my children Luigi, Rafael and Marga. I know I do not get to say it often, but you guys mean the world to me. Do not worry, God forbid, I still have no plans of dying soon. I just wanted to let all of you know how I feel at this moment (please blame Meeya if I sound so morbid).

That’s all.

Posted in ... And everything else, All about my children, My Lady in Black | Tags: Thoughts

Responses

sigh, kakatouch naman ang entry mo. i read about gjay as well and nakakalungkot sobra. i’m glad you did what you did, keith. showing you care and expressing your love knows no time. dba? thanks for this heartwarming entry (thanks to meeya, as well)

Nell, Gjay’s story is really so heart breaking. I really felt so sad for him. Who would ever imagine that a vacation like that could end in tragedy - and for a young boy at that.

It is so hard to express on a daily basis how you feel for the people you love. Most of the time, you assume that they just know it and that it is not necessary for them to hear it (or read it in this case). I hope I learn to develop that habit of expressing how I feel for my family more. Alam mo naman, you will never know when your time is up.

By: sardonic nell on April 28, 2008
at 4:46 pm

just by inciting us to take the time to say i love you to the people whom we love before it is too late, i think yung purpose ni pausch and gjay in this world has been served.

and though our family knows na mahal natin sila, it doesn’t hurt to put our feelings out there, in words. para if the unthinkable does happen *knock on wood*, ‘ i love you’ would be the last thing they’ll remember we said.

nelly, you’re welcome, too.

Meeya, I so agree with you… the stories of Gjay and Randy are tragic but also inspiring. Their lives have helped so many people learn to appreciate their own. I read the letters of Gjay’s family and it really made me realize how we should really not take anybody for granted.

I also agree with you that it is good to have something tangible that will help your family remember that they are loved… be it through a blog entry, a video, a letter or even a Last Lecture. This is the moment that I feel so happy I am keeping a personal journal.

By: Meeya on April 28, 2008
at 5:14 pm

So right you are. I, myself, had a health scare last year. It made me sit up and take notice. What will my legacy be? Have I been kind enough? Loving enough? No. One can always do more. Thanks Keith for an inspiring post. Also thanks to Meeya for inspiring you.

I hope all is well with you now, Goyo. It is sad but oftentimes we really need that jolt to bring us back to our senses and to help us get our act straighten up.

I also often think about what legacy I can leave my familly and my children and there are moments when I feel I have only a few. We really need to strive harder. I so agree with you…one can always do more.

By: goyo on April 28, 2008
at 10:43 pm

Hi Keith. Like Nell, touched ako sa entry mo. Tama talaga na ngayon na natin i-express ang pagmamahal natin sa pamilya natin, sa gawa man o sa salita.
I learned this from my husband who works at home like I do. But we’re two floors apart. So most of the time, we’d shout ‘ I love you’ to each other or send emails. A friend of us always teases us but we don’t mind the teasing =)

have a fine week and if Pinky reads this, HI PINKY!! *waves at Pinky*

Thess, mas touch ako sa comment mo… tingan mo pati si Weng nag-comment about it… hehehe.

Seriously, though, I hope we can all make it a habit to express how we feel more often. To be honest, I am really not the affectionate type (oo, kawawa naman si Pinky). I feel so cheesy everytime I have to express myself verbally (or even in writing). Si Pinky naman is the opposite so I think napi-pikon siya sa akin most of the time.

I envy you and your husband. Nakakatuwa yung arrangement niyo. Wala kayong pakialam kahit may ibang tao… sobrang sweet. Di bale, I think I will work on this para naman mas maging masaya si Pinky… alam ko naman that may good looks will only get me so far… yikes!

By: Thess on April 29, 2008
at 8:14 am

Ano ba!!! Makabagbag-damdamin naman ang post mo…natakot tuloy ako! Magpa-check-up na nga tayong dalawa - as I always say, wala tayong “K” na mamatay at this point - not when our children still need us very much.

I love you too and I especially love the life we have built as husband and wife and as a family. It may not be perfect but I wouldn’t trade it with anyone else’s.

I pray that the Lord listens to our fervent prayer and grants us many more happy and healthy years together - mwah!

PS Hi, Thess! (*waves back*) Salamat sa pagbati…

Hon, I knew mapra-praning ka ulit. Hindi ito premonition of bad things. I am so alive and kicking. I just thought of telling you and the kids how special you all are.

I do hope that God grants us more blissful years of marriage. Mwah!

By: Pinky on April 29, 2008
at 8:27 am

that’s really sad… you just made me realize again how important it is to constantly count my blessings and be content with where i am and what i have become…. take care!

Lids, naku we are all that way… sometimes we need to hear unfortunate events like this to jolt us back to our senses. There are so many things to be thankful for really. Ingat ka din.

By: lidie on April 29, 2008
at 12:57 pm

hi keith! this is a very beautiful post…tignan mo napacomment si thess! hahaha! seriously, we can never say “i love you” too much. even if we show it through our actions, saying, hearing, writing these three words has a magical, heartwarming effect. ayaw ko basahin yung story ni GJay. i try to stir clear of depressing things. weird ‘no? hee hee. that’s for this entry! i’d like to take this opportunity to say i love you guys! mmmwah!

Weng, maraming salamat… nagulat nga ako kay Thess… so nice naman of her.

I must agree with you that hearing or reading these special words has definitely a magical effect on people - must special ang dating. I hope I can do this more often kasi hindi ako masyadong demonstrative.

The story of Gjay is really depressing and sad. I don’t suggest you read it kasi si Pinky could not stop thinking about him afterwards. I mean, it is good that something nice came out after I read it (i.e. I realized how short life is and that we should say I love you to our loved ones before its too late), but it will definitely make you so sad (lalo na for us parents kasi you know this can happen to anyone).

Anyway, I’ll send our love to all of you na rin… most especially to Abby. Mwah!

By: munchkinmommy on April 29, 2008
at 5:25 pm

oo nga, i agree. those stories are really too heart breaking. sad. but also a wake up call for all, huh? and even if i always say i love you to my loved ones, sometimes it just doesn’t seem enough…

Ces, I know I have no authority in saying this, but just continue to be generous with your I love yous. I’m so sure you may feel that it is not adequate but to the person receiving these special words it is more than enough. Nakakataba ng puso.

By: ces on April 29, 2008
at 7:37 pm

True, true… Sa theology class namin, we’ve been taught about the ressurection and God’s promise of eternal life so we can explain these things to anyone who asked. However, in actual situations like during funeral wakes, we were advised to keep quiet. No amount of theology woud console a grieving person who just lost two things: a loved one and the the opportunity to show that he is indeed a loved one.
Tama ka, Leap. Maybe we should be saying “I love you”s not because we’re preparing to die (God forbid) but because it’s the love at that particular “I love you” moment that makes us live.

I can imagine how stressful it must be for a priest to give a sermon during a wake. I’m sure no matter what they say, the loved ones who were left behind would not comprehend a word he says… even if its is as good as being promised a happier after life for their departed relative.

If only we can all learn how to say I love you more often (and mean it) to the people who are dearest to us, then their will be more happy people in this world.

By: brotherutoy on May 2, 2008
at 4:22 pm

keith, may pasalubong ako sa’yong tag. http://cafemunchkin.com/2008/05/02/6-quirky-things-about-me/
just do it whenever you’re free…like at work. nyahahaha!

ps: nakapagpost na ako ng serious comment sa taas kaya hindi na ‘to serious.