post title isn’t referring to this blog and i though.
just when you think this space is beyond dead, it coughed and sputtered to life yet again!
the past few days has been unfortunately gloomy for SAF and MediaCorp, 2 institutions that touch every singaporean’s life. although free-to-air may no longer be what is used to be, NS obligations are very much part and parcel of every singaporean son. whether you have served the nation personally or sent your son, boyfriend, husband or father off for NS or reservist training.
so it wasn’t unexpected that when actor Aloysius Pang was injured and subsequently passed away in New Zealand, there was a huge outpouring of grief and condolences because it does strike to the very core of our lives on this little red dot. the loss seems overwhelming as a very promising young man, well-loved by his colleagues and fans, had his life snuffed out so abruptly. somebody who has so much in front of him and yet deprived of a chance to see how far he can go.
this sense of helplessness is palpable and it got me thinking about a dear secondary school classmate, Poh Ann...
he too passed away in his prime, before his 30th birthday, just married for a few years. his wife had informed us when his colon cancer relapsed and became terminal. a big shock for us since he didn’t let us know about his first diagnosis.
his death struck me like a thunderbolt out of the blue not just because his was the first funeral of a good friend that i had to attend but also the realization that mortality does not discriminate against the young. i wasn’t prepared how deeply felt his passing had on me. it’s true that you never know which day will be your last, you just have to live each day fully so that when it’s time to go, you can leave with no regrets.guess i was yolo-ing even before the term was invented.
mothers in the office are now leery of their sons reporting for reservist training. having a husband back for in-camp training becomes a matter of unease. every life lost during peacetime military training is one too many, as long it’s not due to willful disregard of safety procedures. we can only salute and thank the serviceman for his ultimate sacrifice for our national sovereignty.
perhaps it is better to burn brilliantly and sparkle like fireworks.
