Good Men Gone Early

Many people said, that good men always died earlier, of course, in comparison with the bad ones. 

Take the case of the recent departure (death) of local long time actor, Huang Wen Yong. A humble guy and definitely a very dedicated actor who dedicated his entire life to his second home. His death, mourned by many, came as a sudden news, an unexpected one yet, it sent a tinging message on how fragile life can be, how uncertain the future can be. 

His case of course, is a common case. A common case of cancer, which by no means, departure would mean a much easy path to take, one that could prove a relief.

But what about those who have to depart this wonderful world with a choice. A choice but forced. Here I chanced upon something my brother shared with me, and greatly felt by myself when I read it. It wrote..

"On Nov 10, 2009, German international goalkeeper Robert Enke said goodbye to his wife Teresa and gave his 10-month-old daughter a kiss on the forehead. He left the house, saying he was going to train with his club, Hannover 96. It was a lie.

There was no training that day. Instead, he drove around in his car for eight hours. Finally, he came to a railway crossing – and stepped out in front of an express train. 

His suicide, at the age of 32, was the culmination of a long struggle with depression – a trajectory described in a new and moving book, A Life Too Short: The Tragedy of Robert Enke, by Ronald Reng (Yellow Jersey, £16.99), which is published this week.

Enke had intended to collaborate on a biography with Reng; after his death, the writer realised why: “When his career was over, he would finally be able to talk about his illness. 

"In our achievement-oriented society a goalkeeper, the last bastion in defence, can’t be a depressive. So Robert summoned up a huge amount of strength to keep his depression secret. He locked himself away in his illness.” 

Statistically, depression affects one in 10 adults at any one time, and severe or clinical depression will probably hold one in 20 people in its grip."

This is the best example of what I meant by a forced choice. 

So, life is fragile. Cherish it while you STILL can. Live it to the fullest, even if it means going through the bad times because you never know, when is rainbow going to come. 

PS: For my loved ones, I LOVE YOU (you know who you are).