Life is too short.

Prepare for the worst. I called the house today to tell my parents I was gonna be home in an hour or so.. My dad answered telling me to come home. I didn't understand why, it was still early.. Then he said, "your cousin went to Boracay with your brother, and he drowned." My jaw dropped. My brother is in the Philippines for three weeks visiting. Even though I haven't talked nor seen my cousin for about four years now, I still remember a lot. Every time I went to visit the Philippines, he would stay home and chill with me while all my other cousins went to school. He would take me to all of his basketball games, and watch the Philippines NBA. He taught me how to play mahjong, and would laugh because I couldn't understand when some of our relatives would talk to me. I miss him, and losing him really makes me want to go back to visit everyone.

So I guess my brother, brother-in-law, and two cousins went to the resort together for a couple of days. They were gonna leave to go back home today. My brother went out for a jog, brother-in-law stayed in the hotel room, and my two cousins went to the beach to take a swim before leaving. My cousin went in too deep, I guess, and my other cousin was too small to try to save him so he ran to get my brother and my brother-in-law. My brother was the one who dove in the water to get my cousin.. Tried CPR and every thing, but it was too late.

I feel the worst for my brother because he hasn't been back there for about 12 years now, and it was supposed to be a fun trip for him.. but the outcome was my cousin drowning.

As I was driving home, I realized that we all have to open our eyes and appreciate every thing around us. Tell the people we love how much we love them and appreciate them because they're not always gonna be around. My cousin was only twenty two or twenty three, not married, and had a good head on his shoulders. Going to school, making it big with basketball, every thing.



RIP Kuya "Budden".
January 22, 2008.