This week has taught me so much about showing up and honouring
life and this time, the lesson came through the life of my friends.
I have an 80-year old friend named Ichi. I met him way back
in 2003, he is a businessman who believe that
the world can be changed one
person at a time. He is one of the foreigners who believe that Maguindanao, a
land known for being war-torn will be a place of prosperity that will provide
economic freedom for the Muslim people.
His personal impact in my life though is very subtle but
deep. On occasions, we would meet up for lunch or coffee and he would tell
stories and he would share his wisdom about life. He prides himself for
belonging to the Samurai clan. There were those times when I never really believed
that I am great. He would tell me that I am and that I’ll be able to do great
things and at the back of my mind, I would say, ‘Yeah, right.’
As years passed, I understood what he has been trying to
tell me. Yes, I am great.
But last week, I got a call from his daughter who told me
that his health is not in good condition and that I might want to see him. When
I went to the hospital, I saw how he struggles. I could not help but cry. That night,
I wept. I was overwhelmed with gratefulness for having a friend like him – and then
it struck me: What have I been doing with my life? I have not been honouring those
people like Sir Ichi who believe in my greatness. I have been allowing my
excuses to get the best of me.
That night was totally life changing for me because I was
able to realize that my life should be in lived honour of my greatness and of
the people who have been there all along – believing that I am enough, that I
am hope, that I am of great potential.
Thank you God, Goddess, Universe for the gift of friends.
Yesterday, I learned that my long-time friend Alex, only 31,
died of Acute Meningitis. Our group of friends were the few, real ones that I
got. We’ve been together for 13 years and although we do not meet frequently,
we always fire up when we do. He’s the irreverent kind that when you try to act
serious, he’s always the one who would whisper something in your ear to ruin
your concentration.
We have been putting off our get-together for so long,
believing that we have until this whole lifetime and that each day is the same.
Apparently, each of us has a different length of lifetime, depending on
Who-knows-what. ;)
Suddenly, Alex left and all of us feel really bad because we
didn’t even know that he was going through something. We have not shown up. I
realize that life is so fleeting and showing up is really important because we
don’t know how or when our time will end. The lesson about being there came
costly for me; it came with a life of a friend.
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