It is sometimes amusing how life teaches you vital lessons unexpectedly. The pessimistic cites: 'a birthday celebration is one that rejoices the fact that you are one year closer to death.' What we all don't know is, of course, how close we are.
Taking a train to my cousin's house, I contemplated that I dealt with four stages of life in a single day today. A child, a teenager, an adult, and an elderly, with death sandwiching them. I started waking up as a teenager, interacted with the elderly, mingled with adults, back to a teenager again, and toyed with children, and finally saw a child so young that he can be considered as an infant. Seeing the bigger picture, I realized that we are all the same. All of us display emotions, we crave attention, and we enjoy good companionship. The only sheer difference between us are the vessels we are in... And the time we have left.
Thus I moved on to contemplate how fortuitous I am; I have the freedom to mobilize myself, to make my own decisions, to have a say. I do not depend on others to ensure my basic survival; I don't stagger to walk from place to place. I don't slur when I speak; I don't struggle to gain attention anymore. Yet I have been through those stage before, and in a blink of an eye I shall proceed to that stage again. Hence, allow me to take this time and thank today, and promise myself to utilize it to the fullest before time brings my demise.
Speaking about death,
Readers, let me ask you a question. What is the fragrance of death?
Without jocose, I proclaim that my CCA, interact club, is a heck awesome one. Under the seemingly cheerful facade of playing with the elderly, the staffs of my service center are actually covert investigators.
[after sending an elderly back to her HDB, who attended a party for senior citizens by SMRT]
"They say there's a smell in the 9th floor, let's go there"
[took the lift to the floor, staggered around, and the staffs started knocking random doors ferociously]
"Hello, is anyone living here? You ren zai ma?" [Why is their face stiffening?] [Door opened, an elderly replied with a shrill voice]
[The staffs bursted queries in Chinese about the whereabouts of her neighbors, whether anyone was around in the place. The author was unable to comprehend what they conversed]
"Are you able to smell it?" [Smell what? What is there to be smelled?]
[Who are you looking for, exactly?]
"Take a look at the electrical meters, see if a soul is still residing in these houses"
[The staffs continued banging every HDB doors they came across frantically, impetuously calling the residents there, while checking on the electrical meters]
"Probably [the smell] is from the other side"
[The staffs adjourned to the other side and haphazardly knocked doors with no particular reason, tracing if any shadow of life is present there. No response.]
...
"No, let's go back down. Doesn't smell good."
[We entered the lift. The staffs stammered]
"So did.. did.. you smell anything at all?"
"I hope.. they were mistaken. The smell.. would stain our sanity.. even after we left the place"
"You know.. it if you smell it, and if you.. smell it, you better.. pray."
[lift arrived safely downstairs]
"Ok, will do. You guys may take your leave... Forget everything we had done"
[Why the hell was the search terminated? What is exactly this thing were you guys looking for?]
[Your author was unable to comprehend the situation given the language barrier. His co-volunteer displayed a concoction of grim and fear on her face. There was a sense of urgency in whatever she is trying to whisper to the author.]
So readers, what do you think the smell is?
Forever yours truly,
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