Today, I learned that my colleague Stephen is diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, he’s confined in the ICU and is currently in a really bad state. Prayers would be greatly appreciated.

Somehow, it sank in. Life is unpredictable.

To be honest, Stephen and I aren’t really close and been only working together for 2 short months. Most of our convos revolve around work but he is a pretty good guy amidst his paranoid system.

Whenever I blow a candle for a birthday wish, or find a wandering eyelash on my face, I never ever wished for “have a good and healthy life.” Probably because, I don’t think I’ll be unhealthy, at least not now. Stephen looked pretty great the last time I’ve seen him. He’s almost always smiling, and he doesn’t seem to have any problems at all. But somehow, in a strange play of fate, he has Leukemia.

God gives us trials, one we can face and conquer, or given to us as a trial to others, for them to conquer.

I’ve been constantly reminded by my mom to cut down on my sugar and cola consumption. (I’m separating the two despite because that’s how much cola I take) But that reminder never stuck. Sugar is life. Mom also says that I also need to sleep early for my blood circulation or whatever it is. And avoid being too overworked too.

I was always thinking, what could go wrong? I’m young with a long life ahead of me. I have a healthy and very active system to aid me if things go wrong.

But then, Stephen’s diagnosis tapped my health line consciousness. You actually start to worry for yourself too when things happen to people you know (an acquaintance of mine, Ber, lost his brother, he hasn’t been found yet to date and it’s over 2 weeks, prayers also requested)

Don’t waste your future life for something temporary- like my cravings for softdrinks, that can possibly turn to Diabetes (and to think it’s in my mother’s bloodline too).

I always found the quote, “Binigay sa’yo, kasi kaya mo.” (It was given to to you, because you can). But somehow, I want to question that. For all unwell people lying on their hospital beds, to employees awake in the last 48 hours. Life is very unpredictable.

But despite all that, God never leaves us on our own. He gives us these trials, these problems, these questions we have because He knows we can handle all of them. He also allows us to freely choose what to do in these situations. No one says it will be easy, but He knows we can manage. It will be rewarding, maybe not now, maybe not a year after, maybe we have already forgotten about it but He doesn’t. And it will be much more grace than we can imagine.