Of Death and Blogs

Coy posted this on his Wall last November 12, 2013.
I was encouraged to know that he was reading the Word
a few weeks before his passing.

I never really had so much close encounters with Coy Caballes when I was still in Globe. In fact, I only remember having a short conversation with him during the launching of iPhone 5 in Glorietta. But when I heard about his passing, a wave of mixed shock and sorrow hit me for a moment. I realized, knowing a person only for a short while doesn’t really matter in the face of death. Knowing that you have met the person and was able to talk to him while he was still alive, and then suddenly he was declared lifeless, is actually both saddening and paralyzing.

When I heard about Coy’s passing, I immediately buzzed the people who knew him to tell them about the news. Our reactions are the same. Sad and shocked. Death brings both, I realized. Truly, it was like a thief in the night. You won’t know when it will come.

Death, no matter how certain, is something that not too many people will talk about nor prepare for. It was so sad just thinking about it. But I also believe that thinking about death, as much as life, is brave and wise. Again, death is certain. Knowing that it can strike you anytime, there’s no point not reflecting about it.

Coy’s sudden death brought about too many realizations to me. Through his passing, I was able to think more about death and was also, to my surprise, did not feel uneasy about it anymore, unlike before. I am very thankful that I was able to meet the Savior around 2 years ago and after that, death wasn’t a scary topic anymore. In fact, that day, I decided to look at it closer and observe what will happen while it’s in the air.

There are 3 things that I’d like to write about in this blog post. These are the things that I have observed from the day of Coy’s passing until now.

1. There actually is a strong community of bloggers in the Philippines.

There is no formally organized group of bloggers, as far as I know. They are free and no ID’s to show to anyone that they are members of so and so accredited organization of bloggers. But when Coy passed away, I felt how solid is the community of bloggers in the Philippines. They may not be formally organized but there are certain bonds or relationships formed between each one of them, which I was able to notice. I realized that communities are actually composed of people having relationships with one another, not just of people being together or bound by common interests. Without the relationship, there is no exchange. Without the exchange, a community is not formed.

When Coy passed, many bloggers that I know posted on Coy’s wall and on their own walls, expressing their deep sorrows. Some are reminiscing their moments with Coy. Some are filled with gratitude towards him for the things that he had done. Some offered him prayers. It may be sad but there is also something beautiful going on. The bloggers are thinking about a friend who had gone too soon. There was suddenly a change in the mood of what the bloggers are talking about online. If most bloggers that I know are only used to coming together to events that are full of life and colors, that day, I saw many of them take a pause and divide sorrows with one another. It was beautiful. Somehow, I can’t help but thank God for using Coy’s passing for bringing this reality to all the bloggers – death is certain. One thing that truly matters is the relationship that we have within the community of bloggers where we belong. I hope that this sad yet beautiful event will bring a positive change within the blogging community.

I know Coy wants that too.

2. You will be remembered through the things you have contributed to the community.

During Coy’s death, I saw my mentor, Ms. Janette Toral, posted some videos of Coy in her Facebook Pages. Coy was so full of life. How can someone like him be just dead suddenly? There is something so incomprehensible about death in the human mind.

I have also realized that our bodies may die but the legacy that we shall leave behind, through our blogs and social networks will remain. If then, these things shall remain even after we die, how should this truth affect our future decisions in life? How do we want to be remembered now?

Do you want to be the blogger who have contributed to the growth of the blogging and social media in the Philippines? Or should you choose to become apathetic and just go on with your life undisturbed?

The choice is ours.

3. Bodies die. Blogs don’t.

Some of the coolest blogs I have seen are built by bloggers for their children. They see their blogs as some sort of legacy that can be passed on to the next generation. I salute this idea. I believe that this is what separates a good blog from the great ones.

Great blogs have the ability to go beyond the bloggers’ selves. They know that their blogs, just like their lives, are created not only for themselves but for others. We are actually created to be in relationships with others. No man is an island. It’s not good for a man to be alone. We have heard these lines before.

Your body will die one day but your blog will remain. How will this thought change you? Do you now see your blog as a legacy for your children? If yes, what will you want to write about now? How will you write it? How will you relate to your fellow bloggers now? Will you be a friend to them or a foe? Will you choose to build or destroy?

Bodies die. Blogs don’t.

Thank you for reading.

This blog is lovingly dedicated to Coy Caballes.