Several nights ago, when the family was just starting to have a good time in Singapore, I was wasting some time joking around with Ash just before we're about to go to bed when suddenly I was choked with the water I was drinking. The choke was serious that I was not able to breathe. In the next several seconds I was gasping for air, and my breathing produced a whining sound which made Alice panic and shouted for her brothers in the adjacent room to come help us. I was a little bit dizzy from the fact that oxygen is not properly being supplied to my brain, and I continue to gasp for air. Edu, one of Alice's brothers, locked his arms around my chest and slowly pumped. Thus started the painful and arduous process of saving me for completely choking to death...
It was, I believe, the longest three or so minutes I had encountered in my entire life. Alice was clearly in panic and beginning to sob, while Ash was literally ashen during the ordeal. My two other kids, River and Rain, had just gone to sleep, and were peacefully resting on their side of the bed. For much of my life, I usually contemplate on life and death, usually making thoughts on death itself. That's probably because I love my family so much and one of my deepest fears is to leave them unstable. And when death stares you in the face just like that moment, it really makes you scared. In that fleeting two minutes or so, I thought of many things... most notably the things I did not, or was not able to do. I found out that time that when death is upon you, you really wanted to do those things. And it all the more makes you frustrated.
Well, fortunately for me, death did not happen that night. And I thank God immensely for that. As I ponder things after the experience, I came to the conclusion that it left me with a very important life lesson. That is, it made me appreciate more all the blessings around me - the people and the things - and all those that are happening to me, most especially the gift of life itself. That experience taught me to celebrate life and do what I really want, and to never give more attention to life's worries...
That night when I come face-to-face with death, I learned to appreciate life. I guess that's the secret to make this journey more meaningful.
