How Death Inspires Us to Live

Today I found out that the great Filipino rapper Francis Magalona passed away yesterday, 06 March. Way too soon for he was only 44 years old.
Three days ago my great aunt passed away at only 61. It scared me when I found out the news from my mum. Just a couple of days prior to that, she had told me that her favourite aunt was taken to the hospital because of a mild stroke. It wasn't the fact that she was gone that saddened me quite deeply, but the realisation that life is not forever. Oftentimes we tend to take that fact for granted. It occurred to me that anytime my mother could follow the path to heaven and I know that I will never be able to forgive myself if that happened and I wasn't there for her and with her. But I have a life to live and she is a big part of it even though I am now married. I guess all I could do right now is be patient and wait until the right time has come that we can be together here because me going home is not really an option for I have James to consider as well. I just have to trust God to take care of my mother until I could again.

The death of one person makes me feel lucky to be alive. And while as a teenager I always wished I were dead, now I don't even think about my own death. I think of the people whom I love and who love me and suddenly death is not an option. I have been thinking of the future these past few weeks. I know it may sound selfish of me to urge James to get a degree but he is so much closer to it than me and therefore it is the most practical thing to do. He has an outstanding A Lvl-results. And while I'd get a secretarial diploma soon I honestly think that would count. The only way James and I can get a chance at a good life on our own is if he goes back to University and get a degree. He is really passionate about Politics and he refuses to go any other way but that. He seems to have forgotten that when we met he was in Manchester University studying Biology. I thought if he studied Economics he'd enjoy the course and it is still related to Politics. We still have to come up with a decision and soon. I see him doing great things in his life because he has all the qualities of a successful person - patient, intelligent, logical, kind and have a great sense of perseverance. He just needs a good kickin to get on with stuff and I guess that saying is true "Behind every successful man is a woman". In our case his wife :-)