All in a life
I wasn't there to witness live the burial of archbishop emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal. However, I was with the staff and faculty of the seminary here in Negros Oriental watching the whole ceremony on the television livestream. It was very solemn with a swarm of people wanting to see the cardinal for the last, and maybe, the first time. Some of the children who worked in the seminary couldn't help but cry as they saw the cardinal's remains laid to his final resting place. I asked why they cried, they answered me in a very regretful way that they would no longer be able to see this person whom they regarded as a great father.
But losses shouldn't be taken as something negative. God's will often teaches us that when a door closes, something else opens and it may be a bigger opportunity. At that moment, we saw how a life of one person has influenced others. He has made a mark on how he is as a leader, as a person, as a source, and as a man. It just amazes me how people from all walks of life wanted to witness him being laid to rest.
Seeing him being brought to his final resting place made me think of my own life as well. Will there be people who will also carry my casket with tears swelling in their eyes? Have I made an impact? And what will they write on my epitaph? How would they remember me?
These are questions that are very ideal as of the moment but should be the basis of how we live our lives. Gone are the days of YOLO or that we only live once so we make the most out of everything. We must be good citizens while we are still on earth so people will remember our lives as something good in theirs as well.
Our lives are short but they should be well-lived and well-written. We have been given free will by the Lord on how to live our lives. The choices we make reflect the society we are in and our circle of influence. However, when we make mistakes, we always have the choice to redeem ourselves by correcting what was wrong.
Living life in general is a very complex thing to discuss and there is no hard and fast rule. It is a combination of happiness, sadness, trials, challenges, and many more. The key is to adapt and to get by whatever is thrown at us. We are not all the same when it comes to experiences. However, what we have gone through can help other people become better than they used to be.
Cardinal Vidal may have passed on, but like we all said, his legacy continues. The challenge now is how to live a well-lived life embodying the morals and principles of the Church that has nurtured him into what he was. We are thankful for his life that has blessed Cebu and the rest of Visayas in many ways. Maybe he find peace and joy.
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