Death continues a relationship

HAPPY WEEKEND 

Gina Dizon

SAGADA, Mountain Province -- Listening to laments and sayings about a person who died is fascinating. The laments done in chanting, staccato and conversational tone talk about the good in a person and what one learns from how  the dead lived his life.

Much more so when one is a friend, a family, a relative, an acquaintance, a colleague, a community member that one can meaningfully relate to. And from a good example  is an inspiration to follow what one has  set before leaving this material world. In much the same way that a person’s life is worth a learning. 

And where one has lived his/her life in waste is definitely not good, something for someone to think and be reminded that a wasted life is bad. Much as one who thinks only for his/her existence is equally bad as well. For life is meant to be lived, give, and contribute meaning to humanity.  

Relationships do matter and in making meaningful relationships continues the chain of humanity. For even in death continues relationships. I agree with writer Mitch Albom who said, “death ends life but not a relationship”.

For  surely, the death of a person relives a person’s life  and how he/she touched another is a moment to remember, continuing thoughts of a person, living with a memory whether it was joyful or painful. For in moments of remembering, we continue to live that memory and learn or get inspiration from.

An inspiration I would  like to relive is the late Dr Caridad Fiarod, giving, vibrant and spirited, alien to self pity. Her life much as I came to know her in particular occasions makes me remember a person for her values and attitude in life.

For what is life for than to give? For in giving you have something to give and in the process, you are fulfilled and feel a sense of being human. This I came to know from Dr Fiarod as a person and a colleague in a hobby and a craft in writing.

I came to work with Dr Fiarod in the making of the 1^st Lang-ay Festival magazine in 2005 when she was then the vice president of Mountain Province State Polytechnique College. I expected one article from her. She willingly gave three- Ethnic dances in Mountain Province,Traditional backstrap weaving, and Ricewine making. Stories which enriched the  magazine and made it a culturally  rich  reading material fit for the  occasion on which it was  meant for- life in the Mountain Province  revolving around culture-  livelihood and art of  weaving,  socio-cultural  drinking of ‘tapuey’  to seal friendships,  celebrate life, and  growth of  abundant  harvest;   and dancing inspired from animal movements  and plant growth that inspire everyday life, art, music  and writings.

The second issue of the Lang-ay magazine was  another realization with the primary support of  Dr Fiarod and her writings about Begnas, an agricultural festivity in western Mountain Province  celebrated for  good and prolific harvest of crops.   

For her knowledge of culture especially on that of her hometown  in Besao, Mountain Province made the  1^st and 2^nd Lang-ay Magazine  a reading material of culturally rich content.

The publication itself continues a relationship of living culture as it binds and harmonizes  people.Much more, the confidence and the trust of contributing in making a pioneering magazine come to life is endearing i would like to treasure.  

And what is most inspiring is an attitude of living life. Even in the midst of painful realities. In her book, Thrills and Chills, where she gave me the confidence to edit, I came across a dynamic personality which makes art and form in the midst of pain and anguish  and on a short visit to Winnipeg, Manitoba in 2007  “relieve pains that turned to gains”. For it was real pain I came to listen to her anguish of having lived the brief moments of her life at MPSPC before she "involuntarily" resigned. It was anguish turned tempered  and productive which I liked.   

As she relieved in Thrills and Chills, “The friends I met are gifts with hearts that know love, with soul that know joy, with spirit that know giving and with life that know God. Thank you Lord, I realized it was high time to take break from the stress and tension in my career that had held me down since March 1, 2005, when I was subjected to the whims and caprices of a new leader in the institution that I helped gain its accreditation status.”

For what must have been pains and anguish was not spent wallowing in what turns off, but moving on, living life and building relationships.

For relationship is what matters.