two pink funerals

more than a month ago, i attended the wake of a school mate. he passed away at 40yo, from a fatal stroke, after having survived one five years back. this time, it was r martin's wake.

my school mate was a bright, nay brilliant fellow. highly creative, driven, passionate, he was always so in love with life. despite a first stroke, he never slowed down. and to his last breath, he was still concerned about projects to be left behind. this was one person who was fighting disease all the way. and he never gave up.

in contrast, there was r martin. id like to believe that he was just as gifted, talented, witty and smart. yet his path has always been circuitous. he was known to have seriously contemplated suicide a number of times in the past. he seemed ready to give up lots of times. and facebook bore witness to this last wednesday, friday and finally, saturday.

one was trying to grab each second life could give him, the other chose to take it away by force.

yet the funeral was remarkable similar. the pink community was in attendance. and it was actually heart-warming to see the same faces and bodies who would party in malate or in makati were there somber and sober, saying prayers, paying respects.

but you could feel the gaiety, (not gayness). i'd like to believe that by nature, the pink community really is quite happy and gay, especially when they flock together! and such lightness of being is infectious. which is why i didnt feel all that sad in both occasions.

i guess we look out for each other in bad times as well as in good.

yet i wouldnt want to attend a third one soon.