"Yassy, Neill has been killed in an accident..."He had gotten wind of the news from a tweet by Scott Wilson, head of MNML the design studio where Neill worked.
I couldn't really say that I knew Neill, I never met him. But some work stuff necessitated our exchange of emails. While most work emails stay purely about work, I had the opportunity to talk to Neill about stuff other than that. I deduced from his emails that he was a really hardworking guy - last December he had told me
"The only days I will not be available are December 25 and January 1. I can be reached at any other time, and of course always if there is an emergency."Other than that, we often joked about how the other would reply mails at what was supposed to be an ungodly hour in their part of the universe.
Our email exchanges led us to talk about our interests and I shared with him that I work in Heart of God Church and I told him about how we had a lot of young people. I found out he had grown up in a Methodist church and that his experience there was one of his happiest times. He was looking for a church in Chicago and was hoping to find the right fit. He was a lawyer by training and enjoyed practicing law. His work at MNML gave him opportunity to do just that without having to deal with the more precarious side of law.
Although we had never actually seen each other, I would consider him more than an acquaintance. Our exchanges were always work mixed with a little bit of fun. He joked that he hoped I would not lose respect for him because he was a lawyer and I think he did genuinely want to come to Asia to experience "Asia as the Asians do"
Then on 5 October just a little before 9, as he was cycling to work, he swerved his bike out of the way of a car door that suddenly opened in front of him. His bike swerved out of the bike lane onto oncoming traffic and under the wheels of a semi. He died on the spot.
It would be presumptuous for me to assume I knew him better than his family, friends and co-workers; after all, it was only through reading the news articles that I found out his favorite color was green because too many people liked blue.
The whole incident though did plunge me into some reflection--I guess, because I had never really known anyone who passed away, so suddenly, at such a young age. He had just turned 32. 6 October was just an ordinary day. I think it is safe to assume that Neill was doing what he would have done any other day.
I guess when we're young it is easy to believe that we will live forever or at least for the next 50 years. Our mortality is not something that we grapple with every day. And yet, the truth is life is short. We do not know what tomorrow holds.
There's an old hymn that goes
I just live from day to day.
I don't borrow from its sunshine
For its skies may turn to grey.
I don't worry o'er the future,
For I know what Jesus said.
And today I'll walk beside Him,
For He knows what is ahead.
Many things about tomorrow
I don't seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand.
Every step is getting brighter
As the golden stairs I climb;
Every burden's getting lighter,
Every cloud is silver-lined.
I guess, it's true -- I do not know what tomorrow holds, but I know Who holds tomorrow; and that's enough. That's not to throw things to the wind and say "Que Sera Sera" but it does mean that whatever life may bring and whatever tomorrow holds, there's a stability in heart and a peace in my soul.
I am thankful for life and love and liberty.
I am thankful for the people in my life, especially pastors, who show me how to love others because life is short and eternity is all that matters.
I am thankful for the chance to live again, for Your grace that never ends... Always, I will give You praise. (Thank You, C3 Oxford Falls)
No comments:
Post a Comment