Saturday, June 25, 2011

as the clock winds down ..

to me, life compounds. everything leads and builds upon itself. compounded, compounds, compounding. that is why though it is possible for people to change their situation, it is actually very difficult. because not only do you have to reverse and u-turn, you have to work doubly hard to attempt to mitigated the compounded. so we applaud the people who manage. because it is truly not easy, it is rare.

is one judged on their entire life, or by whether religious rites are followed upon death? baffled. at least right now it sounds to me that where my father goes upon death is dependent solely on whether we follow strictly religious rites. still baffled.

i mused. you mean my dad's actions and choices and behavior throughout his entire life does not count? it all boils down to us, whether we kneel, pray and so forth? bollocks, i tell my sister privately. naturally we do what we can as children. but to present it in such a manner to me triggered perverse inner laughter while i kept a straight face.

evil of me, i know. it is framed both as a religious issue and of our filial piety, not whether he had been a good man, good husband and good father. so we live with that perspective. their perspective.

people are strange when someone approaches near death. it is almost as if suddenly they cannot imagine life without that person. close or not close. 6 months since diagnosis. and i see all my relatives so often now it becomes a daily affair. for some, i know they are genuine. they have been popping in and out, here and there regularly. for some others, i can only assume it's more about how they feel about their own actions than about the dying person. perhaps doing what "family" should do. i can live with that.

it could be worse i guess. they could simply just not turn up. so i can settle for this - doing what family should do.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Just one of those days again

Hindsight is always a wonderful thing.
But that is belated wisdom that descend only upon reflection.
Especially and only self reflection.
Would-have, could-have, should-have.
If only.

If granted the chance to turn back time.
I might undo and react differently for numerous moments previously.
Many reactions, decisions & choices.
And I might be in a different position all together today.
“Might”. Nothing but a mere contemplating muse.

Knowing that it is my experiences that shape me.
Good and bad.
I wouldn't change a thing.
For I might not be who I am today.

Rather than the lottery of hindsight wisdom.
I aspire and lust after instead:
A perceptive mind and a discerning eye.
The strength to see situations for what they are.
The courage to see people for who they are.
A balance between the world in my mind & my place in the world.

Then I sigh. As I sigh everyday.
Why am I not better?
Even as I forget to pat myself for the things well done.
Balance! A silent scream.
As I fall once again from a peak down into a valley.
Where that is elusive plateau?
Maybe only upon that last breath.

Because now utter mental exhaustion has set in.
I mutter to myself:
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars."
— Oscar Wilde