kia-si?

just reading the papers today about this project 'Happy Coffins' started in a hospice, about getting designers to work with patients to design and paint their coffins that they are going to die in next time. the idea it just blew my mind. so paradoxical. i mean, you would think young people are not afraid of death but inherently everyone is afraid to die, of the big unknown after you check out from earth.

but isnt what they're doing quite awesome? in touching and 'interacting' with the universal symbol of death -the coffin- it sort of gives them an assurance that they are in control of this last stage of their lives. in a sense respect is given to them, that even if they are dying, they can assert their individuality. like one of them was a teacher in the past and her coffin has pictures of children with wings, like angels, looking happy. another was a seamstress before and her coffin has a beautiful painting of a seamstress sewing in purple. i think it is a nice project, and may slowly change how people think about death.

this thing led me to think about ageing. i dont know if everyone else has this misconception about old people and just ignore it. i had, until i had some time to give thought to it. old people seem to all be the same- sickly, weak, pass their productivity and prime, to be put aside. the auntie who clears our plates, the old woman who walks with her tongkat, the uncle who pushes a cart full of cupboards, your elderly neighbour. unless they are important characters in our lives, we all subscribe a stereotype to them all. but actually have we thought about how each of them has a personality? an individuality not unlike how young people tries to find an identity for themselves. they might have been the livewire of gatherings, the clever intellectual one, the cool popular dude one in their time, only time mellowed some of their traits.

like how my grandma used to be the ah-lian of her neighbourhood. so funny right? X) she had connections that helped her whenever she met some trouble or problems. she was very loud and had very good people relations. even till now, when she takes a long time to come home from the market cause she met some friends here and there and chit-chat until she forgotten the time. and when i go for beatty's dinners and the '58 boys come, i see all sorts of personalities. very interesting to observe them. like how one has perfect posture then i knew he was a ballroom dancer in the past. one is a drunkard, hhaa, and therefore very loud but always jovial. a few others more sheepish but have fun nonetheless with their old classmates.

i wonder what i'll be like when i get older, like 60 years down the road. i wonder what my best friends now would be like in the future, retaining the same traits or change. food for thought? :)