DEATHS AND GOODBYES

by Earlie Doriman

Mark, may you rest in Peace 

There is no truth in this world so absolute than death. I used to include a trifling discussion about this in my Physics class when I taught the Theory of Relativity some years back. I would eventually convince my students that death is an absolute fact and there is no way to fake it even the mightiest of science. Death is science itself. While everything else has colour of uncertainty, we are so prompted that we will all die, sooner or later. At what point death conquers the physical body? Obviously, it is when all the vital organs stop to function, and the supply of oxygen is no longer adequate to sustain the basic human cell? The complexity of death is one thing that even the most powerful technology of these times would fail to prevent.





Putting aside the aspect of science, there is no tougher than the feeling of loss and bereavement when a member of your family departs from this world especially when you know that there is more to live for. But I guess we all live to die in the end and sometimes dying comes at the most hasty and unexpected circumstances. While some deaths come naturally with age and disease, others are awful and deeply hurting like what happened to my brother-in-law Mark.
My family is in deep sorrow as one member of our family passed away some weeks ago. So sudden. So unanticipated. So painful. Mark suffered cardiac arrest, his first and his last, and the news of his death was so terrible that it took me a while to believe that it happened. The long distance call that I immediately made to my sister in Hongkong confirmed everything and we just sobbed as we were both out of words for a conversation. This was one of those times that I wished I was only in the middle of a dreadful dream. How could it happen so suddenly. I could not scrabble the best words to console my sister for she was totally devastated and thousands of miles away. Mark was gone and she could not accept it, just not yet. I made calls to the Philippines to inform my younger brother about the terrible news and I knew everyone was in complete disbelief.
Mark was a very humble and thoughtful brother and his life was more than a blessing to us, to his family, and to his friends. He was a very loving and caring husband to my sister. He was both wit and humour and his presence is life to each person. And everyone who knows him has all the nicest things to say in the world. His life has touched many lives and now that he’s in God’s care, his memories continue to live on in the lives of those who he becomes special. We surely could not bring his life back but we can always bring the difference he made to our lives.
Mark’s death might be painful to us who are left behind but God reassures through his promise that there is life without end in his kingdom and we just have to believe that He welcomes him already in heaven. We look upon life as a gift from God and we do nothing to earn it. It is given with unconditional love. As well, we shall look death as a gift of renewal to live an everlasting life.
Thank you very much Mark for the life you shared and the gift of a brilliant person that you will always be to all of us. We know that you will continue to look after your wife and family. May you rest peacefully in heaven.