Morbid?

Attended the wake of a TM mentor, Mr. Jimmy Pamintuan, at National Shrine of the Sacred Heart. After hearing the eulogies, our group kidded around about our own wishes for the funeral arrangements. A morbid topic, yes. But with our crazy group of friends we came up with some pretty outrageous, and funny ideas for our respective wakes. In fact, we’re planning a eulogy party now. As the name implies, it’s a party when we all deliver eulogies for each other (maybe a toast, or better yet, a roast) while we’re still alive. No use delivering all those sweet, poignant, touching, and funny stories about each other when we won’t be able to hear it! So the eulogy party is coming.

It may be a long time coming, but IT is coming. By “it” I mean death, of course. I hope in my case as well as that of my family and close friends, it's going to be later (much, much, much later!), rather than sooner. But still, it does pay to prepare. In fact, I already have one of those Loyola plans for the burial plot. Plus, of course, the almost million peso insurance benefit my loved ones will get upon my demise.

I’m reminded of the circumstances when I wrote my will summer of last year. I specifically remember that I wrote it before a planned trip to Cebu. It would be my first trip outside of Luzon with my high school friends. In the will, I specifically stated that the kids would go to my parents, or my brother. When I told my best friend about it, she reminded me of past conversations wherein we told each other that we’d get each others’ kids should something happen to us. She questioned why in my will, I wouldn’t leave the kids to her. To which I replied, “Eh if I die while on our trip, I’m pretty sure it will be in an accident of some kind, and you’d be with me! So we’ll both die!” Hahahaha!!! That elicited a lot of laughter among us friends.

Another friend of mine, a big hulk of a guy (but who happens to be gay) becomes sentimental each time his birthday rolls around. He reminds me EVERY YEAR at the time of his birthday, of his wishes for his wake and funeral arrangements. The major requirement is that all visitors during the wake should wear bright colors, no black! And no crying! And the music playing in the background? All of Madonna’s songs! He even specified the song titles. Material Girl. La Isla Bonita. And what-have-yous. Sheesh.

I guess this goes to show that even a sad and morbid topic like death can be talked about, and laughed at. You just need the right set of friends to talk to about it. And it doesn’t hurt if they’re a little crazy. :)