A few days ago, my dad texted me a message saying, “Linh, my classmate from primary school passed away at the age of 35.” He was the same age as me. We were in the same class for four years, from when we were 6 to 10 years old. His name is listed right above mine in the class roster. His name starts with an L, and mine starts with an M.
I remember him as a curly-haired boy with a brown skin tone, intelligent, and kind. I didn’t particularly like him because we often competed in class. We weren’t the top students, but rather somewhere in the middle. Sometimes he outperformed me, and sometimes I did better. I don’t believe I had a higher IQ than him, but I knew I worked harder.
When we were in the 5th grade in primary school in 2000, I moved to another class, and since then, until 2024, 24 years have passed without us meeting again.
My dad mentioned that he got married, divorced, had two children, and lived a very tough life. He worked hard as a truck driver and likely had little time to care for his health. Unfortunately, he passed away suddenly after falling ill for a few days.
Reflecting on his death, I questioned why his life turned out to be so difficult and sad. He was intelligent and kind. He didn’t have a lower starting point than me, and in some aspects, he was even smarter. So why did our lives diverge so much? Our families had similar middle-income backgrounds, with no significant differences in education levels. Perhaps the key disparity lay in our family’s approach to education and mindset.
This mindset provided me with opportunities for better education and conditions to explore the world. On the other hand, he may not have had the same support and inspiration. If he stumbled, perhaps there was no one to encourage or uplift him, causing him to remain in a challenging situation, living a difficult life until his untimely passing.
I know our life seems like a thin paper, easily torn at any moment. No one can plan it, control its length, or know their final day. When I think about my friend’s tough life, I wonder, how long should we endure things that aren’t worth the pain? If God were to say, ‘Your time is up,’ what would be my biggest regret? I might hate myself for wasting precious time delaying my dreams and suffering due to things and people beyond my control. It leaves a bitter taste.
Life is short. Why can’t people treat others well? How can you know the struggles of someone you dislike and treat poorly, who is trying so badly for a better life? Life is short. If others don’t understand and mistreat you, don’t give them the chance. Let them think what they want, and do what they will. Live your life, for they cannot live it for you or die in your place.
My friend passed away, and as his short journey in this life ended, a new journey may be waiting for him. I don’t know how difficult his life was, but I hope that in the next life, he will have more opportunities to live a better life than he did in this life.
Take a look in the mirror. I don’t know when my journey will end, but I know my desires and what I can do for myself each day. Regardless of who tries to stress me out or make my life hard, I will not allow it. I have the opportunity to live, and I will take full control of it until the day God calls me back to him.