The Living and the Dead

  • Page Views 19
  • Arnie and Arnel P. were twin brothers from Antique, Philippines, born into an above-average family that owned agricultural lands and thrived in agribusiness. In the late 1980s, due to political and economic instability, their ageing parents decided to sell the family property, dividing the proceeds equally between the two brothers. Although the twins were inseparable throughout their youth, their lives took dramatically different directions after this turning point—one embracing life, the other, though alive, living as if dead.
    Arnie, the more ambitious and goal-driven of the two, immigrated to Canada in the early 1990s, determined to build a better life. Like many Filipino immigrants, he faced the harsh realities of starting anew in a foreign land. With a young family and few resources, he endured menial jobs to make ends meet while his wife cared for their children. Despite these challenges, Arnie’s drive never faltered. He saved what he could, enrolled in a part-time accounting course, and eventually earned his degree, transforming himself into a certified accountant, a beacon of success amidst adversity.
    Meanwhile, Arnel, the more carefree and less ambitious of the two, squandered much of his inheritance. He drifted through life, eventually becoming estranged from his wife and children. With their parents long deceased, Arnel found himself alone and desperate. His situation was tragic—not physically dead, but emotionally and spiritually lifeless, lost in a world where he saw no future. In his despair, Arnel reached out to Arnie, now flourishing in Canada. In 2019, Arnie invited his brother to visit, hoping to show him the opportunities available to those willing to work hard and persevere. At this point, Arnie was a division head at an export-import firm in Vancouver, a testament to his determination and resilience.
    Arnel was deeply moved by his brother’s transformation and realized how different his life could have been if he had chosen a similar path. Yet before Arnel could act on this newfound resolve, tragedy struck. In 2020, Arnie became one of the many victims of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was cruelly ironic—Arnie, who had risen so high, who had lived fully, was now dead, while Arnel, who had lived as if dead for so long, remained. Arnie’s death was not just a personal loss; it was a stark reminder of life’s fragility and the fleeting nature of success.
    In Arnie’s passing, there is a profound lesson for the living. Though he is gone, his legacy lives on, inspiring those he left behind. His life serves as a testament to the idea that even in death, one’s influence can resonate through the lives of others. The living must carry forward the dreams of those who have passed, ensuring that their work, their dedication, and their values do not die with them. In this way, the dead live on—not in body, but in the lives they’ve touched, the hearts they’ve inspired, and the lessons they’ve imparted.
    For Arnel, Arnie’s death should be a turning point. His brother’s memory offers him a chance for rebirth, to shed the weight of the purposeless existence he has carried for so long. Though physically alive, Arnel now realizes that he had been living as if dead—without ambition, without drive. But it is not too late. Just as Arnie’s legacy continues to inspire others, Arnel has the power to revive his own life, to emerge from the shadows of spiritual death and truly live again.
    Ultimately, the story of Arnie and Arnel is one of contrast between those who are alive in every sense and those who merely exist. It is a call for the living to truly live—to embrace their potential, to honor the legacies of those who have passed, and to ensure that death, though inevitable, need not mark the end of one’s impact on the world. (Contact: [email protected])

    by Joe Larano Jr.

    Share

    New Posts Recently publish post More

    • 20 November 2024
      13 hours ago No comment

      Surrey Tree Lighting Festival welcomes Canadian Olympic Gold Medalist Phil Wizard on Nov. 23 Canadian artist and athlete to host breakdance demonstration

      Surrey, B.C. – The City of Surrey is proud to announce that Canadian breakdancer and 2024 Olympic Gold Medalist Philip Kim, also known as Phil Wizard, will host a breakdance demonstration at the 14th annual Surrey Tree Lighting Festival & Holiday Market at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23. ...

    • Photo by the Canadian Armed Forces.
      14 November 2024
      7 days ago No comment

      How Filipinos contribute to Canada’s diverse military

      As one of the biggest racialized populations in Canada, Filipinos are helping build a diverse and inclusive society. Filipinos are found in almost every aspect of life in the country, including the military. In the lead-up to this year’s commemoration of Remembrance Day and Veterans’ Week, Statistics Canada on ...

    • 07 November 2024
      2 weeks ago No comment

      Marcos congratulates Trump

      President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of the Philippines has congratulated Donald Trump for winning the November 5, 2024 U.S. presidential election. “President Trump has won, and the American people have triumphed. I congratulate them on their victory in an exercise that showed the world the strength of American values,” Marcos ...

    • Pope Francis addresses the crowd from the window of the apostolic palace overlooking St. Peter's square during the Angelus prayer on October 27, 2024 in The Vatican.
      04 November 2024
      2 weeks ago No comment

      Pope prays for Kristine victims in Philippines

      MANILA, Philippines — Pope Francis has offered prayers for Filipinos affected by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine. At Sunday’s Angelus address at the Vatican, the 87-year-old pontiff reportedly mentioned praying for the victims of Kristine. “I am close to the population of the Philippines, struck by a powerful cyclone. May ...

    • 04 November 2024
      2 weeks ago No comment

      Duterte: no apology, no excuses for drug war

      Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on October 28, 2024 offered no apologies or excuses for his actions as he faced a Senate investigation into his widely criticized bloody war on drugs for the first time. Before reading his prepared statement during the hearing of the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee, ...