ThesonofaverygoodfriendofminecommittedsuicidejustbeforeChristmas.Hewasabrilliant,happy-goingyoungmanof21.Therewasnotasinglesignofanythingpsychologicallydeficient.Ontheday,hespentitnormallyandjovially.Yet,aseveningcame,inthedarknessofourfragileandsometimesfrighteninglife,heshothimselfatthefrontdoorofhisfamilyhome.Theshockwasimmeasurable.Itcameasaboltfromthesky-unexpected,uninvitedandtotallyuncalledfor.
ThefuneraltookplaceonDecember22,justthreedaysbeforeChristmasDay.Hisfamilyandfriendsmourned,andwillalwaysrememberthetragedyofthislastChristmas.Itleftadeepscartotheendoftheyear.
IwriteaboutthisimmensesadnessbecauseduringtheChristmasholidays,wetendtoforget,inourownrevelries,somanyotherswhodonothavethatluxuryoffamilywarmth,ofbondingfriendships,ofhighspiritsofcelebration,andofgoodwilltoallmen.Thenewsofmyfriend'sappallingsuicidesuddenlyshatteredmyowncomplacency.Itdumbfoundedme.Itmademesitdownandthinkofallthethingswhichwetakefartoomuchforgranted.WhenwedonotgetthepresentswewantorcomplainaboutourChristmaslunchormoanaboutcrowdsandqueues,orwallowintheholidaystobreakawayfromourwork-theyallsuddenlyseemedsoinsignificantandmeaninglesscomparedtojustoneincidenceofdeath.Butifthetruthbetold,therearesomanyothertragicdeaths,somanyothertragicevents,somanyothertragiccircumstancesandrelationshipsthatdonotstopduringChristmas.Onlythislastone,therehadbeenfloodinginIndonesia,earthquakeinTaiwan,warinIraq,warinSomalia,andcountlessothernaturalandman-madedisasters.Weonlyhavetoswitchonourtelevisionsetsorreadthenewspapersorgoontheinternetandwewoulddiscoverallthesehumancalamitiesandcatastrophes.Andbecausetherearesomanyofthem,weallseemtohavebecomeanaesthetized.Wenolongercryoutwithhorrororthrowourhandsoverourfacesindisbeliefformorethanamomentortwo.ParticularlyduringtheChristmasandNewYearseason,wetendtoconcentrateonourselfishindulgencesandshutoureyestothingswhichdonotentertainourdispositions.

Inourspoiltluxury,weforgetthattimedoesnotdistinguishitselfbetweenfeastsandcelebrationsontheonehand,andcommemorationsandremembrancesontheother.Thesejuxtapositionsinlifeoftenmakeuswonderwhyifthereisanall-lovinggod,thereshouldnonethelessbealltheseeviloccurrences.TheambushofthetsunamitwoyearsagoalsoaroundChristmaswasaparadigmofthisapparentcontradiction.Itmadesomanypeopleangryandbrokenandbitteraboutthewayinwhichourworldmoves.Iknowofagnosticsandatheiststurningmoredeterminedthaneveroneithercursingagodinwhomtheydonotbelieve,orprovingthatagodcouldnotexist.Theseargumentsabouttheirreconciliationofgoodandevilisthestudyoftheodicy.Andithasexercisedthemindsofmanyphilosophersandtheologians.Andlikereligionandpolitics,theodicyhasnotbeenresolved,norisitevergoingtobe.Onlytheothernight,Ihadaveryheateddebateofitwithfriends.Butnothingchanges.Wewillgoonbearingthespectrumofgoodandbadnews.
ForthoseofuswhohavehadajollyChristmas,wereallyshouldreflectonhowincrediblyfortunateweare,andthatitisnosmallmercythattragediesdidnottouchourindividuallives.Bythesametoken,weshouldspareathoughtortwoforthosenotsoluckyandwereaffectedbymiserablecircumstances.Weshouldalwaysbeconsciousofourowninsularityandcomfortnessbecauselifereallyhangsonlyonathinthreadanditcanchangeourcoursesoeasily,sosuddenly,andsodramatically.IprayeachdayforthehappinessIenjoy,forthestabilityIsurroundmyselfwith,andtheprovidenceIlivethroughwithoutheavytribulationsandunbearablegrief.Weshouldalways,butalways,bethankful,eachdayandeveryday,eachhourandeveryminute,andeverysecond.