TRIBUTE

A cloud of death surrounds my community at the moment. Loved ones have passed and feelings of grief and sorrow have ensued. I have reached out personally to those most affected, but only time can heal their souls. Words seem futile and can never equal the amount of sympathy you wish to convey towards those who have lost loved ones close to their hearts.

One of those who passed recently was a student at the school. Up until last year he had been attending sporadically. He'd have frequent seizures and was regularly sick with flu-like symptoms. His disability was undiagnosed. His awareness of the world was akin to a 1 months old baby. He would only walk towards light and his recognition of people was dubious. We'd know when he was at school because we'd hear him yelling at the top of his voice, or you'd hear his heavy, rattley breathing after walking down the corridor. In some respects, we feel deeply sorry for his mother and his little sister who is struggling to come to terms with her brother who won't wake up. In other respects, I feel that this world was too painful for him to live in. Perhaps he's in a happier, comfortable and understanding place.

It's at these times you remind yourself to let people know how much you love them. Perhaps it's the time you reflect and wonder if you're living your life, or just watching it float by. Do you start to fear regret and bad relationships? What if you're not given the chance to make amends?

Either way, I hope that those who have lost can gather strength from within to overcome the grief that they are facing.

I suppose it's only appropriate to end with a quote that's been quoted and re-quoted again: "Your life flashes before your eyes before you die - make sure it's worth watching."