True friends everywhere

A colleague’s brother died of cancer on Monday. I was at the wake two nights ago. Many friends and relatives turned up to pay their last respects. Like me, most of those friends were not even acquainted to the deceased but were friends of his sisters. Why were we there? We did what true friends would do, give moral support to the family of our friends at times of sadness. Two neighbours whom the family have not met for 30 years also turned at the wake. Don’t they count as true friends too?

True friends are everywhere. Sometimes we don’t know how to show our affection for them. At other times we are just too caught up with our day-to-day living and momentarily neglect them but I believe we all care for them. We just need to constantly remind ourselves it’s better to remember them when they are still with us rather than wait till they are gone.

Do what true friends would do…show care and concern for your friends whenever you can.

Are there true friends in life?

I met up with a couple of friends last night, one of whom I’ve not been in contact with for more than five years. While we were chatting away about the current property and financial market, this friend was busy reading sms on his phone - a friend of his was bugging him for a loan. After reading the sms, he said to the two of us that he has loaned about $70,000 to his friends. He then went on to say that he doesn’t think there are true friends in this world. He asked if we have true friends in life. My instant reaction was, of course I have true friends. He seemed to doubt me.

A friend who insists on sending me home even though petrol prices are high and my place is out of the way…who is this friend? A true friend.

A friend who can sense that I am moody and yet doesn’t avoid me but wants to hear what’s disturbing me…which kind of friends would have that patience? Only the true kind who cares would.

A friend who sponsors me on an expensive holiday when I can ill afford it…which friend would be so generous? Only a true friend who loves me would.

Do I have true friends around me? Don’t think I need to ask.

What if?

As I was walking towards my company’s compound today, suddenly this thought struck me - should I meet with an accident, would my family members know that I have bought accident and hospitalisation plans? Would they be able to locate my important banking and insurance documents?

I live day by day without anticipating my death. I take my life, my auto-ability to breathe for granted. But what if something happens to me? What then? I can’t take anything with me, I have to leave everything behind. It may not be much but I should still make arrangements so that my family know where and how to get them. I’ve yet to make a nomination for my CPF. Must set aside some time to do that as well as list down all the things that I want my family to know, just in case something untoward really happens to me.

I guess I do not want to be an inconvenience to anyone…even when I’m gone.

ps: Just as I was pondering about this accident thingy, I read an article from a friend about writing an own obituary. Do I want to take up an obituary when I die? Nah, I think it’s a waste of money. Born a nobody, die a nobody.

pps: I did write about the kind of funeral I would like to have a couple of years ago. Here it is: Link

Is someone worrying about you?

I have been worrying about someone recently. Someone close to me, someone I care. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. Why should this mature person be making others worry? As I pondered about this, I began to I ask myself if I too have been causing other people to worry about me. I thought hard about it. I probably did in the past, when I wasn’t financially stable. But now, I don’t think so. Ok, perhaps my mum still does worry about me. Which mother wouldn’t worry about a daughter who is still single and does not have a house of her own? But I believe my mum knows and can see for herself that I am living a pretty comfortable and happy life now so the worry will not be a 10 on the richter scale ^_^.

Everyone, do ponder about this as well. Are you causing someone else to worry about you? If you are, do try to do something about it. Don’t be the cause of suffering to someone else because that is definitely not our purpose in life.