My heartfelt condolences to the families of the two of my closest friends and relatives by affinity, Bong Obong and Gemma Omila-Escupete, who recently passed away both of treacherous affliction. Life is, they say, short and mysterious that we have to learn by heart how to live it well and according to the purpose specific of why we are here. Because as unique as we each of us are, we also have unique purpose and mission of being born here no matter our diversity.
This paper's publisher related to me about his being discouraged by a friend for his passion for this paper as he should have better things to attend to. That, at this point in time and given his present age, this job is not for him anymore, said his friend. Funny! But I think that this belief is one of the basic reasons why many of us are lonely and are yet in search of something they do not seem to know what even if they are old already. So they remain lonely, which loneliness manifests outside through anger or whatever addictions they are into, until their lonely death.
Bong, my dearest brother in Christ, is one of the few who, I am sure, died a peaceful and happy death. When I saw him the first time in his coffin, he was so serenely handsome I haven't seen him like that at all since the first time I saw him in his youth until the rest of his living years (the last time we briefly talked was a week before his demise). True enough, the situation of our soul is reflected through our body, either in life or in death.
My children, like their aunts and other relatives, cried so hard for their loss in Bong not only because crying and sorrow is a normal part of goodbyes, but mostly because they dearly love him so much! Bong has given them, all his nephews and nieces, so much love, attention, and nurturing, by sharing all that he had - talents and all, that he will be truly missed BIG! This is how he lived his private life. And just as selflessly as he had given his own family of himself, he did so, too, without let up in silently serving the public through the Church. He did not search for accolades, nor served for money. He did what he had done for love and friendships!
Passion, my friends, is our driving force to live life with a purpose. But passion is never, ever associated with the call of the body. Passion comes from the depths of our heart which is the seat of our soul. Isn't it that sometimes we hear people tag the line: "Waray kalag!" [‘No soul!’] to notorious people who frequently cross the boundaries of others? That is how important our soul is to each of us. Without us recognizing it and its need, then we will naturally fail to find our passion. When we have found our passion and concentrate giving from there, nothing will be put to waste. Everything will be counted in the here and now because it has no end. It is limitless. Our passion is our Call. Bong will be forever remembered here on Earth and especially in Heaven.
Answering the call of the body is different because it is very limited to the body. When the body dies, it will just rot and will become part of the earth where it naturally belongs. When we keep giving in to the call of the body, without using our mind to protect it, we will eventually meet loneliness and soon suffer the ill effects of being lonely and confused, for we are the Captain of our Ship. What we ask for, we get.
The problem is, people do not like to do soul-searching to find their passion because they always prefer to go the easy way - find happiness in serving the body. They think that choosing this is less complicated, not realizing that eventually this same choice is what will lead them to complicate their own lives. Sugad siton kasimple an panhunahuna san kadam-an nga tawo. [That is how simple-minded most people are.] They sabotage their own lives.
As I wrote, I have not yet gone to the wake of Gemma, my sweet, beautiful friend, as I am still so buried in pain with Bong's passing away. It is very difficult for me to be over the sadness because I am surrounded by my equally, and more, pained children and other relatives by affinity. In the sadness of my heart though, as a human being, I am fully aware that Bong is happily united with the Lord. That knowledge and assurance is my great consolation. And it is this same consolation that will free me, and the rest of us, from this pain of losing our dearly loved brother in Christ, Bong!
See you all sometime again, friends. Get to bond with your loved ones always!
