SOCHEWS

Death is unnerving. Because it makes you realise what things are important, and how little time we spend on them.

At the funeral of an old friend’s father, a man who was clearly mentally disabled stepped forward. His English wasn’t good. You couldn’t make out what he was saying. But halfway through his eulogy, he broke down and cried. And even though you still couldn’t hear his words, it was pretty clear what he was trying to say. He cared. He spent time. With someone like me.

For me, funerals tend to render words like “legacy” and “accomplishments” into something quite trite. Instead, it’s those little conversations, those little carved-out times you share with your family, your loved ones, those who need it the most, that make funerals so poignant. It’s how big you are in the small moments that people seem to connect with. That’s what I connected with.

Death. Life’s gentle reminder.