It’s 11:21 p.m. I’m lying on my couch, listening to “Memories” by Maroon 5, when one of my childhood friends replies to a snap I posted about my friend who just passed away. His message simply said, “What are the odds?”

That line hit me harder than I expected.

Because, truly - what are the odds? The person who replied is someone I grew up with, and we both lost our friend some years back. Two days after my secondary school graduation, my friend David died. And now, two days after my university convocation, another friend, also named David, though we all called him Demi, is gone too.

I didn’t even realize the coincidence at first. But now that I have, it feels eerie… and painfully familiar. It’s like 2021 all over again.

I feel weird. Empty. Sad. There’s this heavy stillness in me that I can’t quite explain. I keep thinking Demi will wake up, flash that contagious smile of his, and pull me into one of those big hugs he always gave. It’s hard to wrap my head around the fact that someone so full of joy and light can just… be gone.

Life is really vanity. One day someone’s fine; laughing, breathing, making plans; and the next day, they’re gone. Just like that.

I hate death. I really do. My heart has been heavy for days, and I keep replaying everything in my mind. What are the odds that I’d lose two Davids in the span of four years? It almost feels like life is playing a cruel joke.

I’ve been angry at myself, too. Angry that I didn’t check on Demi enough. I should have. I keep thinking about the last time I saw him, we were supposed to take a video together, just a simple clip to remember the day. But we didn’t. And now, I’ll never get that moment back.

This life is short. So, please, if someone crosses your mind, check on them. Send that message. Make that call. Spend that moment. Because you never know when it’ll be the last chance you get.

Cherish memories, hold people close, and take nothing for granted.

I don’t even know why I’m writing this. I’ve probably written more in the past week than I have in the entire year. Maybe it’s just my way of easing the weight in my chest, trying to make sense of a pain that doesn’t make sense at all.

It’s 11:21 p.m. I’m lying on my couch, listening to “Memories” by Maroon 5, when one of my childhood friends replies to a snap I posted about my friend who just passed away. His message simply said, “What are the odds?”

That line hit me harder than I expected.

Because, truly - what are the odds? The person who replied is someone I grew up with, and we both lost our friend some years back. Two days after my secondary school graduation, my friend David died. And now, two days after my university convocation, another friend, also named David, though we all called him Demi, is gone too.

I didn’t even realize the coincidence at first. But now that I have, it feels eerie… and painfully familiar. It’s like 2021 all over again.

I feel weird. Empty. Sad. There’s this heavy stillness in me that I can’t quite explain. I keep thinking Demi will wake up, flash that contagious smile of his, and pull me into one of those big hugs he always gave. It’s hard to wrap my head around the fact that someone so full of joy and light can just… be gone.

Life is really vanity. One day someone’s fine; laughing, breathing, making plans; and the next day, they’re gone. Just like that.

I hate death. I really do. My heart has been heavy for days, and I keep replaying everything in my mind. What are the odds that I’d lose two Davids in the span of four years? It almost feels like life is playing a cruel joke.

I’ve been angry at myself, too. Angry that I didn’t check on Demi enough. I should have. I keep thinking about the last time I saw him, we were supposed to take a video together, just a simple clip to remember the day. But we didn’t. And now, I’ll never get that moment back.

This life is short. So, please, if someone crosses your mind, check on them. Send that message. Make that call. Spend that moment. Because you never know when it’ll be the last chance you get.

Cherish memories, hold people close, and take nothing for granted.

I don’t even know why I’m writing this. I’ve probably written more in the past week than I have in the entire year. Maybe it’s just my way of easing the weight in my chest, trying to make sense of a pain that doesn’t make sense at all.