I have never been through such a colourful month in my life like this June. Life which was filled with life and death. Happiness and sadness. Birth and marriage.
Starting on the first of June, my wedding day.
After months of preparation, I was relieved that everything went smoothly. People told me that a wedding day is a tiring day. I believe them now. I wanted to invite all my family and friends. And they did come. That day wouldn’t exist without the help of my wife and all my friends who help organizing the schedule, played the music, taking wonderful pictures.
Remembering today, that day was like a dream, too good to be true.
Right now – almost a month from then – I’m trying to live a life – a good life I hope – that’s different than before. There are several words to describe it. Different, difficult, mind-absorbing, emotional. Yet I can also add happiness, thankful, caring each other, and togetherness.
Just yesterday, I went to a funeral. Just like any other funeral, it’s full of tears especially from the family and close friends. I remember I also have some friends of my age who have gone – as most people said it – too early.
Death is interesting.
Everybody knows that it was destined to happen sooner or later. The feeling is almost like when you play against Michael Jordan. You know he’ll take the last shot before the buzzer, yet you can’t stop him from scoring. Or when you see David Beckham running on the wing, you know he’ll give a cross, yet you couldn’t stop him from assisting the score.
I also remember a scene from Akira Kurosawa movie, Dreams, when people are celebrating the death of their love one, with a colourful dress.
If we know it coming, should we celebrate it just like we celebrate birth?
There’s a saying that you should live your life by the way of what you want people to think of you on your funeral. And by how much people you want to come to your funeral. I believe by seeing yesterday funeral that she’s a good person. Hundreds of people came and more than 200 flowers were sent to the funeral.
Then I realize that what’s matter is not only what you did in life but also what you did to others and your life seen through your parrents, your husband/wife, your children, your grandchildren for they’re also a reflection of your life. She’s 75 – if I’m not mistaken – and I’ve never knew her before. I came because I knew her sons-in-law and her grandchildren. Yet I know that everybody loves her.
My grandfather (from my mother side) was sick a week after my wedding day. I heard that he can hardly breathe, so my family took him to a hospital.
I’ve never been close to him like I was close to my late grandmother (from my father side) but I always remember him as a strong person. Even in his old days – several years ago – he was still driving his small truck and delivering goods to other city. He’s a merchant and I think he will always be.
Now he’s lying in bed. He looks so fragile and I can see how a man age. I feel sad but at the same time also amazed by the mystery of life.
Just like death, aging is inevitable.
He’s already passed his 90th birthday. It’s rare today to life your life that long. Rare but not impossible. I wish he can live to his blessed and happy 100th birthday.
Three couple, all are my friends, are expecting their first child soon. What a pleasant news! Congratulation, Budi and Linda, Handi and Kim, Kie Sheng and Nancy!
A friend – who live far away from here and never met before, just talk through e-mails! – are going to have his first solo exhibition. Photography exhibition of course. I’m one of the admirer of his photos and his passion for photography. I’m sure there will be more to come from him. Congratulation, Roberto!
Now that the ripple in the water of my life has calmed again, I’m thinking to do more in what I love, photography. Yes I know that I have mostly do what David Alan Harvey says as “random” pictures. Pictures that I took while I was walking, while I was in a car, while I was in the zoo. The pictures I took just because I found it interesting. These pictures can be seen “just” as a snapshots. But I say nothing wrong with it. In fact, I love most of my “random” pictures. I don’t have to put a box or a label in what I do. In a way, I find it good just depend on how you see it or how you put it in a story or how you put it in a series along with other photos.
Just need to find different perspectives. See it in different point of view. And when it fails, perhaps we should see it in different point of time.
