Death
Sorry about my last post, which was pretty depressing. I am getting better now, albeit I’m still anxious about the future. For some reason it really got to me during the time I wrote the post.
I’m writing this post in memory of my friend Brandon Garcia, fellow philosopher who graduated with me. In fact, since I was a December grad, he was the only other philosophy major graduating with me. I sat next to him the whole time. I remember when he joked about the medallion Dr. Cook was wearing around his neck - he said “Dr. Cook’s got some nice bling!” And I remember when we botched the proceedings a bit by standing up at the wrong time (to wait in line to get diplomas), then abandoning our row and waiting a while with no place to go but to wait for our turn.
I remember him going out with a group of us philosophers at the semester’s end and we were off contract. We went to a pub and had a drink over discussion. Brandon had a drink that he named in honor of some philosophical theories, and it was hilarious. I forgot the first part of the name, but the second part ended with “…With a Proper Functionalist Twist”.
I also remember talking to him in Spanish class - and I remember him talking about the girl that sat in front of me, how pretty she was and how he wanted to get to know her more.
I remember him showing me his new motorcycle - that’s the very motorcycle he died riding.
Brandon was pretty involved with his church and with spiritual development projects in general. He created this spiritual development thing for men, called The Journey. He was the youth pastor at his church. He wanted to go to Biola school of Spiritual Formation. He was co-authoring a book with his friend Ryan, who I know because he also graduated with a degree in philosophy and was in some of my classes.
Death isn’t a thing to be taken lightly, even if there is life after death, as I and other Christians believe. Death is a paradox: it is at the same time the worst thing that could happen to you, and also the best thing. It is the worst because is ceases your current life, and your friends and contacts here lose contact with you and mourn your loss. You lose contact with them as well. But death is the best thing, because this is what we’re all headed towards. Our destination isn’t something on this world, but in another.
There are times when life here on Earth is so stressful and depressing that some want to speed up the process and kill themselves before their time has ended. I have certainly felt this was many times in my life, and even recently.
Brandon is the first person I know of who I talked to, was friends with, and yet who inexplicably died before his time. He had accomplished so much more than I have so far, and stands as an example of how to live life fully. Again death is paradoxical - one’s death creates the urge in another person to live, and to live more fully.
He was taken before his time, before he could accomplish all he could have. I feel responsible on my part to try to make up for his loss - to contribute at least as much as my share and his combined for the better in this world.
And I’m sure all who have lost a loved one know that life is precious. Life is not a thing to waste, or to spend being anxious or depressed all the time. Cherish even this very day, because tomorrow we could literally be gone, just like Brandon.
We will miss you man. Much love.
January 4th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
David, I am Brandon’s mother’s sister, and it made me feel so good to read your blog with something of the last few days of Brandon’s life. It’s now 2008 and more than 6 months since Brandon died. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of the pain in his mother’s heart and how much his death has affected us, his family. Thanks for the postings!
Nancy