RIP OLAVI NDAWULA HAFIZ

There couldn't have been a more befitting tribute, As posted by Leonna Buhenzire Reflections on death Earlier on last week I buried a friend, & his death has got me lost in poignant thought. As I stared at his parents and how broken they were.... I thought to myself ... "Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me, may I never have to endure the pain of burying my own child" I couldn't believe how tragic the situation was . I've always heard stories like these, but they're far between and never this close to home. Reality had to set in. See, When people of your age group start to die, You're forced to think about the quality of life You're living. What a blessing it is to be alive. If we recognized how truly blessed we are to be alive, surely we would put our lives to better use. There is so much hope & possibility in life, which we can't say for death, there's no hope in death, unless you're Jesus Christ, my savior. Humanely Death is empty & cold & void of anything . It's a hollow dark tunnel. It's an end. It's a shut down!! You will never be able to sniff your favorite coffee, to taste your favorite dish, you will never be able to express yourself to the people u care about, you'll never be able to take a nap, to drive , to watch a movie, to laugh and chat with old friends.. It's final. Although it's so damn scary, death is not the enemy.. Death is a part of us. As long as you're born, you will die. We can't escape death. The real enemy is how we choose to live our lives. One thing I know I must sooner or later embrace is impermanence . The fact that, in this here life, NOTHING lasts forever. However unbelievably breathtaking it is, or terrifying it is. Sure as eggs are eggs,It will pass. Time is never static , Time is always moving & nothing can stop it. How are we utilizing our time? Are we taking care of ourselves? What sends your heart soaring?? Are we positively impacting others ? Or are we trapped in our own little bubbles of life? Have you positively affected someone's life today or are u busy wallowing in self pity? Have you checked on your parents? Or are you too busy growing up that u haven't noticed how old they've grown? Are you actively involved in their well being? They need you. They don't have the same energy they had as they chauffeured you back & forth from school, and sadly, you won't get to have them forever. Are you really making time for your children? Do you have time to read a bedtime story? Have u explored their gifts? Do you have a day, an hour set aside to their needs, do you have the patience to listen to them and not be tired by how slow & repetitive their conversations are. Do you know what they love and what they're afraid of? Are u raising your children or is your Househelp & the school doing that work for you? Do u know the person who lives next door to you? Baking for them a pie is not exclusive to bazungu. It's a wonderful gesture that sets us apart from animals. When was the last time you did something nice for someone, for no good reason? But only to add value to their lives. How about your friends? Do u think you're a great friend? Have u been a great friend? How have u impacted your closest friends lives? What is so remarkable about you as a wife/ a husband/ a daughter /a son/ a mom ,/ a friend /a dad?? That when you're gone, people will sigh in admiration. Are u a master at the blame game, at defensiveness. It's never your fault. Do you deserve the people who truly care about you? Are u taker? Or a giver? How have u impacted their lives? ...They are not here forever. Life.... Is but a dream. Are u that person that shows up at work, already exhausted at the thought of 5 days at the same desk, never socialize with anyone, spend all day condescending & outsmarting people until u exit. You don't know anything personal about the people you work with... People that You spend more time with than u spend with your own family. Are you adding value at your workplace? I challenge you. I challenge you to buy lunch for that employee in the corner that is see through. There's nothing remarkable about them, they're not particularly smart, or fashionable, or funny.. They blend in with the furniture. You always ignore them because you're too busy sky rocketing through the corporate ladders to notice nobody's. If you dare to look for that remarkable something in anyone, you'll find it. .. But I challenge you to send out your office messenger & order for them takeaway & juice. Something nice. In the end , we only regret the chances we didn't take. You cannot impact anything when you're gone, all that is left is lingering memories amongst your loved ones of who you were. But you can impact so much right now!! SO MUCH. I challenge you to write down in your notes one little thing that you could do differently , that will add value to another persons life. Let's get off our butts and live meaningful lives people. I challenge you to stop living a passive , all-caution-to-the-wind, life. God has blessed you with the gift of LIFE. With a very heavy heart, I offer my deepest condolences to Olavis family & friends. I believe Olavi Hafiz lived a full life, and even if it seems to have ended prematurely. ..May you find comfort in the fact that you have gained an angel in heaven. RIP.