I was browsing through my email trying to free up some space by deleting old messages when I came across this email that I sent to my family and friends last August 2010.
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August 10, 2009
Chengdu, China
I almost had a freak accident two days ago in the mountains of Sichuan . I was riding this bus from Xiangcheng to Kanding, up and down the mountain slopes and then we came across another truck. It’s a little misty and visibility is not 100%.
The driver of our bus tried to steer away, the same as the driver of that truck. I thought both of us will fall off the cliff… it happened very fast.
I closed my eyes, I hold my breath and I told myself… “It might hurt a bit and then it will be over, don’t worry.” I felt peaceful after I gave up holding on to my dear life. I felt that life and death were embracing each other, looking me straight in the eye.
Life and death were together like Yin and Yang, they have always been part of each other. They don’t despise one another, it’s just only us that separate them. Death completes the cycle of life and so on.
I opened my eyes, and I was surprised… I am still alive!
To my family and friends, I may not be the best son, brother or friend because I cannot express it in words and sometimes I have a weird way of expressing it in actions. And also sometimes I act without thinking or act with too much thinking. But I sincerely like all of you. We may have had some misunderstandings in the past, maybe sometimes due to my fault, please forgive me and let’s all forget about it and move on with our lives.
Life moves on same as when the sun rises on the east. It doesn’t care what we keep in our thoughts or memories. When death kisses you gently on your cheek, you would understand what I mean.
I will continue my journey and hope to see you again in this lifetime… or perhaps on our second lifetime (who would know right?)
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For all of the people who are still on the road... Take care and keep on doing what you're doing. We only have one shot in this thing called 'life'. We might as well enjoy it and live it to the fullest. :-)
-Flip
Nice new layout!! XD
ReplyDeletethanks Glenn
ReplyDeletehey flip, i was afraid reading your post. i don't want anything like that to happen to me on the road, much more when i am alone traveling.
ReplyDeletefor all of us travelers, say a little prayer..
O Almighty and merciful God, who hast commissioned Thy angels to guide and protect us, command them to be our assiduous companions from our setting out until our return; to clothe us with their invisible protection; to keep from us all danger of collision, of fire, of explosion, of fall and bruises, and finally, having preserved us from all evil, and especially from sin, to guide us to our heavenly home. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
don't be afraid jerik hehe at least we'll die doing something that we love. death is inevitable anyway. thanks for the prayer. i'm wishing everyone a safe trip wherever you are...
ReplyDeleteI think you summed up the experience pretty perfectly; I got incredibly sick in Laos and it put everything into perspective a bit - wrote a similar letter of appreciation and love to my parents after :-)
ReplyDeleteit's funny how difficult situations bring out realization that usually lasts a lifetime.
ReplyDeletethanks for dropping by shannon.
Your story made me nervous - GOOD JOB. I never came this close but I was traveling with an orchestra in a bus up the Grand Canyon and it started to snow. The bus could no longer overcome the grade and started to slide backward off the one-lane road. There are only two choices at that point, jump or steer into the cliff since the other side is half a mile down. Fortunately our driver dumped the bus safely into the mountain side. A small dent at the top of the canyon was a far better choice than a big dent at the bottom!
ReplyDeleteKeep Blogging! W.C.C.
thanks for dropping by :-)good to know that no one got hurt on that incident that you mentioned...
ReplyDelete