Echoes of the Freelance Pathway

I woke up yesterday, the 3rd Oct 2009, to a rude surprise that my old friend Donald Stadler, had a heart attack and passed away on the way to work in the morning in London. He was only 50. That must have happened around 9.30am in London and 5.30pm Singapore Time on the 2nd October 2009. Curiously around that time, I heard Donald saying, "...wonder what happened to Michael's loan..." It was a clear message, but I didn't think much of it other than perhaps he was curious and concern about me. I do have many experiences of telepathy and this I thought was just another one.

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Donald was an American whom I have met during my freelance days in Holland in 1993. We lost contact some years later and then only re-established communications about a month ago. Then, he told me he had just known that he had lost his job and it was hard to find work in London. I was hoping to meet him in London sometime November, when I find time to travel to Europe.

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Life is fragile. If we do not take care of our minds, our bodies deteriorate. Donald was a single child. His father died when he was very young and he was raised only by his mother. He was often lonely and I suspect was also depressive as a result. During our stint in Rotterdam in the winter of 1992, we spent considerable time chatting in Chinese restaurants after work about how cool Compuserve emails were (as the Internet has just started to hit the masses) and how China will become an economic power in 20 years time. Fast forward (gosh!) 17 years, and we were right on both counts. The Internet is pervasive and the People's Republic of China just celebrated its 60th National Day gloriously as an economic power while the US is seriously bogged down in a financial meltdown.

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I enjoyed those chats we had. Donald was a good conversationist and also one of the few Caucasian friend who was adventurous enough to eat what was to them 'exotic' Chinese dishes of strange animal parts.

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Donald's sudden departure reminds me to live everyday as if it is my last (or first), and not put life on 'hold'. Problems and troubles will always be there, but they are not part of us, if we don't allow them to be. The soul is inherently peaceful and I should like to remind myself about that and enjoy life's every moment to the fullest.

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May also you rest in peace Donald. Farewell!