Like a Candle in the Wind

Farewell, Serena

Origin of name: Serenus.  Meaning calm, tranquil, serene.

Try as I would, the sudden passing on of a young mother and wife keeps popping up in my mind.  Serena was her name. Like a candle in the wind, she left this earth. But not before she had played two games of netball, probably harnessing all her energy and focusing on the moment. Then she was no more.

Those who remain behind are still reeling with shock, trying to make sense of the brevity of life; searching for answers. One of my inspirational proverbs comes to mind: “ Do your outdoor work and get your fields ready, then build your house”.  Who says that Serena – a young wife and mother who succumbed to a suspected heart attack – had not come full circle by having completed her earthly stint and is ready to resume her spiritual existence? Are we perhaps not projecting our own lack of understanding of our purpose here on earth, when confronted with events such as these?

It is during such raw moments, when we lose beloved ones, that we have to take stock of our own lives. It is during such times that we are made aware of our own vulnerabilities, our own mortality. And perhaps even more piercing is the question: are we living purposefully, adding value to our lives and to others and do we realize that we are spiritual beings having a human experience?