My Neighbor's Encounter With Death

--by pandalo, posted Jan 29, 2008

My neighbor was diagnosed with Leukemia. He was told that he didn't have many days to live.

While most would get depressed, he was as happy as ever! I was confused and decided to ask him why.

He was gardening when I finally asked the question. With a smile, he responded, "Why be angry at the world when we are blessed with the knowledge of our death? Why not embrace it give back something to our society?"

The next day, I read in the newspaper that he was among the many who volunteered to help out the poverty stricken people in South Africa.

He was already packing when I entered his house. He said he want to go and enjoy the last few moments of his life helping people. With his usual wisdom, he also noted, "It's better to live a life happily in the short amount of time then to live a bitter long life."

Something about that sentence, and who he was, I just started crying. I wept.

It has been two months since he went. Along the way, he was kind enough to send me many postcards and photos of the people he met and helped. No doubt, he was looking happier than ever before.

Today, I received a letter from his colleagues. He had passed away. Tears rolled down my eyes, but I knew he must be smiling wherever he was.

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Posted by pandalo
Jan 29, 2008
Comments (16)

Readers Comments

EmpressReign wrote: It's amazing how much strength those afflicted really hold. Thank you for sharing this story. My condolences to your neighborhood family. May you chersih the memories and the legacy that he has left behind.

Swift wrote: Oh pandalo. how beautiful is this story. Your neighbor found something that some people never find in an entire lifetime. Awareness. So much focus is placed on "Getting". The beauty of humanity however is that we only need so much to survive. How wonderful is it that you were able to share with your Neighbor in the love of true "Giving". Thanks so much for sharing.

Blossomhappy wrote: Your neighbour sounds like an amazing individual. I am so sorry that you have lost a neighbour and a friend, but I am sure you have many happy memories to look back on. Thanks for sharing this story with us.

bigheartedmommy wrote: I am sorry to hear about your neighbor

geet wrote: It is an amazing story. Your neighbor gave you the lesson of life about the quality and not the quantity. Thank you for passing it on.

lOVEBUG wrote: Beautifully written. Please accept my condolences for the loss of your friend and pass them on to his family.

brighteyes wrote: What a wonderful gift for you to have such a neighbor and a wise man sharing his experience, wisdom, positive attitude and legacy with you. He has enriched your life and many others....I do want to leave a legacy of love, caring, sharing, kindness and will take his advise and wisdom to heart.

cabbage wrote: Thank you so much for sharing your story--even with your loss of such a special friend and neighbor, you have given us all a precious gift....
I admire people whose actions speak what is in their hearts--not always easy to do.

Lovey wrote: Hi all, i live in South Africa and i am blessed to be in a country of love and giving. We have our hardships but life goes on. Our challenges are great and it makes us be there for the next person and that is our neigbours. If we all predict good things in life, life would not be a challenge and a rope to jump over. I would like to die as your caring neighbour did...give all you have and die with a good consious.There not many out there that will do as your brave hearted friend, we know that he is another star that is shinning upon us.

Ann Nguyen wrote: How beautiful it is to be able to give yourself in service of others. What a wonderful gift it is to be able to look beyond your own suffering to help others.
Thank you for sharing.

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