Are you prepared to die?

By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo

 

THAT question was asked of me by an agent of a firm selling memorial plans. It appeared then that she had a plan, and I bought into it. Somehow, I thought, it was an essential preparation so as not to burden loved ones with my human remains.

Faced with the threat of COVID-19 lurking at everyone’s doorstep, I asked myself the same question, “Am I prepared to die?” I do not mean the full acceptance of death, but giving up a beautiful life. Despite its challenges, this life has given me so much.

I remember in 2012, wishing, that when I die I would like only fresh plants during my wake, white and scented flowers: sampaguita (Arabian jasmine), rosal (gardenia), honeysuckle, azucena (tuberose), camia (white ginger) and others. I made sure I will have them with me so I had those planted and they have all survived except the honeysuckle which I planted in Palacpalac and perished with neglect after my father passed away.

But, in all honesty, I am not prepared to die. Even in death, I would surely wriggle out of my body to water my plants. I would speak to them every morning like friends continually enhancing ways to communicate life-sustaining rhythms. A true gardener does not wish to die. A gardener is a patron saint of life. Life is beautiful, and every cell of my body is intent to live the ultimate, living fully, doing what I love best, nurturing people and nature, until my last breath. This blessed life is worth living.

COVID-19 makes us realize that no matter how careful we are with our minds and bodies, we can never protect ourselves from the people of the lie, who by not disclosing their personal and medical histories, expose the frontliners to the risk of being infected and succumbing to the disease that would eventually result in the severe shortage of medical personnel whose only desire is to help people live. These frontliners made a supreme oath, but by no means did they intend or prepare to die.

At this point, when we cannot trust our leaders to lead by example, we must bond ourselves and bind our efforts to help each other, by using our creative minds and compassion to preserve human life. We have that inner spark, which when ignited can brighten a grim situation. Let us spark together amid the social and physical distancing, and gather light. The human race had been through natural and manmade calamities and while we kept repeating the same mistakes, we bounced back each time, surviving together, until some of us become greedy once again, forgetting the lessons of history, repeating the cycle of self-annihilation.

 

Seed

slowly, I grope
to find you
in the darkness
guided by your heartbeat
and your quickening breath
in the dark, I dance
I spin like a top
in the burst,
a new life.

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