Death visits
I received news yesterday afternoon that a hometown friend of mine passed away early yesterday morning (at about 3am) in a road accident. He was travelling out of state in an express bus when the driver lost control of the vehicle. Four people were killed on the spot, including my friend.
When I got the news, it was a total shock, because I'd just met up with another hometown friend the day before and in keeping each other up-to-speed with what was going on in the lives of mutual friends, we had spoken about this guy. To have thought of him & talked about him just the day before and then hear the following day that he's gone... it's frightening, in a way. My first reaction was, "Please tell me this is just a very bad joke," but unfortunately it is true.
The incident is in the papers today, which really rams things home. So final.
It made me wonder what people would say about me if I were to die tomorrow. I mean, you really never know when you're going to go. It happens in the blink of an eye. When I go, what kind of legacy will I leave behind?
You see, on May 1 (Malaysia's Labour Day holiday), an acquaintance -- someone I met briefly at camp last Oct -- also passed away in a road accident. Since then, I've been hearing stories about him. Of his dedication to God. How he was a leader in his university's Christian Fellowship during student days. The lives he's touched. His determination to eventually work with a Christian organisation after completing the current contract with his employers. What a treasured friend he was to many.
I wonder what people will say about me.
It's not really a "will I have made my life count?" kinda thing. I don't care too much about achievements and stuff like that -- don't think those things are truly important. But I want to know whether I will be missed & remembered with fondness. Whether I made that little bit of difference just by being in the lives of those around me. It would be nice to have people tell stories about me when I'm gone. Knowing me, they'll probably be comical stories, but I'm not picky...