Hindsight

I was going to say that this is a very bad week.  News about the passing away of a classmate, a friend's dad, a friend's brother and another friend's uncle, came within a week's time.

But then, I realized that it happens all around, all the time.  That every single second, a person loses somebody he loves.  It is as normal as the falling leaves or the rising of the sun.  It is only a matter of time.  It only matters to me now because I knew these people. 

The sad part about all these, according to most of the surviving relatives I've talked with, is that they missed the chance to show love to the departed.  Be it because of lack of time, a strained relationship, or simply taking for granted the time they had with the loved one because they were just always there, like a rag in the doorstep.

Time? We spend a lot of it having coffee with friends for the usually useless chitchats; we spend an hour or two in a spa; we have all week to tend to the wake.  It just isn't there when it matters.

Strained relationship?  We easily forgive and ask forgiveness from the person behind the glass.

Always there?  No, they will definitely not be.

My guilty hands raised.