Capriciousness of life

I looked out my window early evening on 4th July, and saw some flashing lights. Looking closer, there seemed to be some fire-engines, police vehicles and ambulances around the bus station outside the Hung Hom Train Station. Even closer, there appeared to be some firemen crowding the side of a bus. It was most likely someone was hurt in an accident involving the bus. Perhaps that someone was still under the bus. I shuddered to think what might have happened to the person.

Only later did I find out that a woman was knocked down and run over by one of the wheels of the bus. The thought was too painful to bear. I could not find out whether the woman survived.

One moment the women was full of life, hurrying somewhere, perhaps running for a bus. A moment later, she was badly injured, fighting for her life. Sometimes it is not as dramatic. A person can be very active and busy simply living. Suddenly he is told that he has late-stage cancer. In both cases one fights desperately to stay alive. At the same time, one is bound to ask oneself: I am going to die very soon, perhaps I shouldn’t have lived my life this way?

Most of us, particularly when we are young, are inclined to think that we will live a long time. That we have plenty of time to just enjoy life, and still have enough time left to do what is important - later. But we don’t always have that luxury, do we?