Eulogy
(So I won’t wind up this blog, check out this link for the brief account: http://www.visayandailystar.com/2007/April/23/negor1.htm).
_____________________
I’ve always hated goodbyes. For that reason I was stubborn to give in to a request of making a testimonial to a friend who just died–his killing being politically motivated. But since I heard the news, I had realizations about life. So here it goes…
Gino was a good friend, though we did not really got close back in college just because I chose to have a "busy" life. Ika nga nila, kinareer ang college. But nevertheless, my peripheral vision did not fail to capture his being light-hearted, funny, kind comportment. Buotan jud ‘to siya. As I’ve seen, people really had nothing against him simply because he is sincere and down-to-earth.
It saddens me that it’s only now that I’ve come to think of how good a person he was. Simply because it’s eulogia. Now I feel bad for having invested my time in pursuing greatness (collegiate laurels, that is) than in people. Now I feel guilty for not really caring if he’s around or not before. Now I feel downhearted because I never took a chance to go beyond our academic circle and establish lifelong buddy hood.
And suddenly, the person’s gone. I’ve lost my chance of knowing him more. I’ve lost that moment of letting him know that he has made an impact in my life.
When someone dies, especially someone you know, you are brought into a contemplative mode. You have flashbacks of how you’ve met, how you’ve touched each other’s lives…or how you did not. You have questions about life and its uncertainty. One thing’s certain though: that person made an impact in your life.
During this time, one great realization for was: legacy. It may sound hackneyed but legacy for me is not outdated, not anymore. You don’t make it an ambition to leave a legacy. You don’t work for it. It is the everyday things that you do that will make an impact, really. Not institutions. Not empires. Not foundations. It wasn’t pompous legacy that Gino made. But he did make me change my paradigm on how I should live my life, on how I share my life with others, on how I should take a view of life now.
It’s really sad to have lost a good person and a great friend but what comfort it is to know that he is in a far better place now. Maybe the song “I Can Only Imagine” is an apt ending to this musing. I hope family and friends (if they get to read this blog) will find comfort in the lyrics…I did.
I Can Only Imagine
I can only imagine what it will be like, when I walk by Your side…
I can only imagine, what my eyes will see, when Your Face is before me!
I can only imagine. I can only imagine.
Surrounded by Your Glory, what will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you, Jesus? Or in awe of You, be still?
Will I stand in Your presence, or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing ‘Hallelujah!’? Will I be able to speak at all?
I can only imagine! I can only imagine!
I can only imagine, when that day comes, when I find myself standing in the Son!
I can only imagine, when all I will do, is forever, forever worship You!
I can only imagine! I can only imagine!
Surrounded by Your Glory, what will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you, Jesus? Or in awe of You, be still?
Will I stand in Your presence, or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing ‘Hallelujah!’? Will I be able to speak at all?
I can only imagine! Yeah! I can only imagine!
Surrounded by Your Glory, what will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you, Jesus? Or in awe of You, be still?
Will I stand in Your presence, or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing ‘Hallelujah!’? Will I be able to speak at all?
I can only imagine! Yeah! I can only imagine!
I can only imagine! Yeah! I can only imagine!! Only imagine!!!
I can only imagine.
I can only imagine, when all I do is forever, forever worship You!
I can only imagine.
Until then, Gino.
A Tribute for Gino: http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=PSnyvnSIT9A
May 2nd, 2007 at 6:24 pm
i’m guilty too