...

The news came to me in the most sudden of manner.

For days, I still don't know what to do, and all I can think about is death.


A good friend, though not a close one; I feel emotions, yet I know not what to do. What best to say. Should I even say anything?

What kind of words matter now? What is lame, what isn't? What is comforting, what is soothing? And if words do not matter, what else would convey my innermost concern right now?

I know just what I'll do - for now.

I'll just pray .


And then, those familiar sometime-recurring thoughts. About death. About what it means to me, and to the people around me.

Things that people don't usually think about, but I do. And I still think I should, but just don't expect anyone else to really understand.

And that very night, I called Mom.

Even if just on the pretext of asking her how I should boil my congee.


I might have been a lousy friend of late. I might have been too caught up in my own woes, but that's an even lousier excuse.

To everyone that I love, who really matters, I still love you.