Treasure what you have before it's too late...

Life is fragile. It's like a drop of snow falling from the sky. It can melt fast and disappear before we can fully realize its existence.

Four days ago, one of my distant relatives passed away due to liver cancer. He was quite old already, but I just felt sad that people from that generation was slowly disappearing from this world,  leaving their wives alone with numbers of children and grandchildren.

Two days ago, on Christmas Eve, my senior school mate passed away too due to kidney failure. He was 40 years old. I never met him before. I heard about him few years ago. At that time he had already suffered from kidney disease and he had to undergo dialysis almost everyday. Our Indonesian school alumni tried to collect donation from us to help him as it wasn't cheap to pay for his medical bills. Never thought that he left this world so soon. People said he was such a nice and funny guy during school time.

About weeks ago, I saw my friend's photo in Facebook. She was lying down on the bed in hospital surrounded by many of her friends, smiling and happy. I never thought negatively seeing that photo. I thought she just did a minor operation. Then, few days ago, I saw her photo again in Facebook. This time, she was bald,  no hair.  Oh no! Then I knew something bad happened. But her face was shining brightly and smiling in the photo. I sent her message and asking her what happened to her. I also sent message to my sister, asking about her.

She replied me. She said she was having uterine cancer. My sis said she had to undergo few rounds of chemotherapy. I was so sad hearing the news. She used to work with my Mom as shop assistant when I was 6 years old. Now she is in he 40s. But I'm happy to see her full of positivity in facing this sickness. She is Christian and many of her church friends are supporting her all the time. I hope she is full of strength and can recover soon.

See? Life is so unpredictable. Buddhist may think it's a course of karma. Life is impermanence. People come and go from this world is a very normal activity, so does suffering or dukkha.

As my friend said, gloominess and sadness are part and parcel of our lives. It's true. However, this post is intended for us to treasure more about our life. Our health, especially.  It's the greatest wealth and gift that human is ever granted. Usually only when we were sick and feeling pain, then we realized how good and lucky we were for being healthy.

I often remind myself how grateful I am,  being able to walk, run, cycle, as legs are important assets to travel around. When I was getting burn on my shoulders after swimming, I could feel the pain and hot on it. Then I was thinking how about those who suffered from real burn due to accident. They must be suffering million times than this. So I told myself to be grateful that I'm not suffering like that.

Many people take their health for granted. They smoke, drink,  as if it brings no harm into their bodies. They think they will always as strong as a bull.  Nothing will last forever la. Slowly the effect will come. By that time, even though you regret,  nothing can be done already.

Our loved ones too. Usually only after they're gone then we realized how important they were in our life, and so on.

Well you only need the light when it's burning low

Only miss the sun when it starts to snow

Only know you love her when you let her go

Only know you've been high when you're feeling low

Only hate the road when you’re missin' home

Only know you love her when you let her go

And you let her go

Anyway... Just treasure what you have now and be grateful with it. Take care my friends! Live life to the fullest, be positive always, and choose happiness! Jia you! :)