The Loss of a friend sets me thinking again

Today I saw in the obituary section a picture of a friend, more an acquaintence of mine during our University years at the NTI. Noel was a year older than us and he studied in the Electrical Engineering School. We met occasionally at the canteens and he hung out with another clique whereas I was never really into any cliques choosing to have individual groups of friends at different occasions. He had passed away on 5th November, at the age of 56. 

He was the MD of a telecommunications company and I had met him some 3 years ago with a mutual friend (Fat Yap) at the Serangoon Gardens and we chatted over coffee about how time flew and fortunes of people who we knew in common. 

He never married and left behind parents, and siblings. I was stunned for a while, then reflective about what I am doing in this world. 

The point which was reminded again clearly to me was that life is finite, it can be short, or long, but is it meaningful to ME ? Set clear priorities and some goals and chase after them, make friends, get good friends, find a partner fall in love, start a family (or not), work, have a long and meaningful (hopefully it pays well) career, start a business, these are all activities which are expected by our other halves, our children, our parents, our colleagues, bosses and people around us. 

Stop and think for a minute. 

Whats it all about ?  Life. 

Take the Purpose Driven Path, set forth and go after whatever you set out to be. There will be shitty times, so called friends will betray you, you may lose you partner, ill health will threaten to throw the whole thing out and reset your path, death of loved ones and setbacks, financial, health, (mental and physical),economic challenges will all come several at the same time.

At the end of it all, I must be satisfied that I lived it the way I ought to have lived it, with a sense of purpose, which indeed give some benefit and uplift to the people that mean the most to me, my family and my close friends.  Seeing them make and achieve something of their lives will be the ultimate satisfaction.

Monetary gratification and wealth generation will never appease me totally. So just make enough to say, OK, thats it. Easier said than done, so make sure I save and spend less than I earn.

Then I can say, thats it.  I have Seized the Day.  Its the end of my journey.