Death has been all around me lately. Sudden deaths and deaths from illness. All young persons who should have been allowed to savour life more rather than depart to the realm beyond our world. In the 1st 2 weeks of 2008, 3 people I knew had passed on from cancer, of them a 41 year old executive who had breast cancer in the prime of her life, who fought diligently and fiercely yet lost the battle in the end, leaving behind her husband and her 1-year old son. She had no family history of cancer, and was only in her late 30s.

Then just a few days ago, a line dancer whom I have seen around but don't personally know died all of a sudden from a heart attack. He was healthy, no issues whatsoever. But one day after line dance class, he felt unwell, took a cab to see the doctor, then took a cab home after obtaining some medicine from the doctor, and died in the cab. He was 56.

I was reminded of the scene at an friend's funeral, who passed on at the tender age of 21 - also a sudden death, this time from an asthma attack who had not hit him in years.

I can't help but wonder... when my turn will come. It's an unsettling thought and a very depressing one indeed. It's just so unpredictable.

And what it if happens to someone close to me?

Perhaps seeing all these has changed my perception of life. Now I believe in doing whatever I want as long as I have the means to, like taking that overseas trip I been longing for, continuing my Spanish language education, taking up kickboxing... I want to take up art lessons as well, explore drama, watch a marathon of good movies, meet the man of my life...

Life is indeed very short. As long as the opportunity presents itself, just do it.