Last night I attended a wake and tribute to a male teacher, "a leader of the band" because he was in charged of the school band when he was still employed. His body was in the school gymnasium for a night viewing and tribute before his body would be laid in peace the following day. His former co-teachers and students were there and so few family members because he was single until the day he retired and now died.
The visitors to the wake that night probably reach 400 to 500. The wake in the school started at 10A.M. and probably there were also many former students who visited that morning.
As I listened to the tribute, I reflected about death and the fleeting moment of our stay on this Earth. The teacher who died started his career in 1971 until his retirement five years ago which made him served the school for 40 plus years. After his retirement, his co-teachers were surprised to see him next days, weeks, months and years until he died last week to report to school earlier that other teachers and went home late. He stayed in the gate sitting with the guard and still had a prying eyes to the students and of course to some of his co-teachers who breached the code of conduct of the profession. Some of these teachers complained that what business this retired teacher was doing in school. He was already retired and nuisance.
During the tribute nobody said bad things about this fallen comrade in the profession. It's really true that you can't speak evil to a dead person especially in our culture as Asian and Filipino who regard the dead with deep respect. Everybody said good memories about the teacher. He was so dedicated in the job said by his former girlfriend? who is still single and now retired in service. The tribute ended with the band played a song and dance for him.
Death comes suddenly which many did not expect it. People in the death row and people with terminal illness may really expect death in probably exact date.If a person dies, he would only leave properties which his family may cause for a quarrel or good deeds which the people will continue to cherish and ponder.
In the Five Golden Rays which Mao Zedong of China made as part of the study for would be revolutionaries, it was taught that "if you die serving the exploiters or you're an exploiter yourself, your death is as light as the feather for the people to carry. You would only be think momentarily then be forgotten soon. But if you die serving the poor and the exploited, your death is as heavy as the mountain which the people would carry in their lifetime".
The life of the teacher is a service to the poor and oppressed. Many of the students in the public school are sons and daughters of poor farmers, low paid workers, and out of work parents. Teacher witnesses the daily struggles of his students in going to school without nutritious foods and money for the day. The teacher shares what's available in him. He gives all-out his talents and wisdom for the students to learn. When the teacher dies, the students who returned or sent messages via internet and social media which affirm how good that teacher when he was still alive. Death should not be afraid. It's a fulfillment of a mission given to a teacher and he's about to report his deeds to his Creator when he departs.
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