The Remains of the Day
While getting ready for a much needed sleep at about 2AM at the Memoires de Saigon, I glanced at the bedside table and saw the book my hubby is feasting on – The Remains of the Day… My mind instantaneously wandered to the grim reality of daily deadly scenes in the Philippines, especially in the busy, urban centers of Cebu and Manila. No one, I suppose, desires to harbor such dreadful thoughts at bedtime. I often wonder how many of us, Filipinos, living in or away from our country ask ourselves – how many more will eternally rest, unceremoniously to say the least, and more accurately - unjustly? Out of habit or a genuine sympathy for the family or friends of a person who recently died, many of us would send them a message – “may God grant your dearly beloved eternal rest” or “may he or she rest in peace.” With the daily carnage especially in the cities, what does death mean? When we feel uncomfortable mentioning the word death to a grieving person, we sometimes ...