(Oh yeah, the Out-of-Office messages!) Lina quickly re-launched the office email apps and set a short auto-reply messages to both internal and external email recipient, respectively.
[… I need a short break, for mind and body.] This was what Lina wrote for her internal email recipient; in another word, her colleagues. (Is that okay for me to write it like that? I just feel like wanting to be a little honest with my colleagues… Arh… Let it be.) She closed the apps, one after another, and then shut down her laptop. She needed to put all the items into her last piece of luggage, and then rushed to the airport. Lina applied a week of annual leaves; she would spend it all at her hometown, with her family.
On the flight, Lina turned off her mobile phone and sat at her seat with seat belt fastened. She stayed quiet. It was a solo trip. None of her friends joined her in this trip.
Her mind was somewhat being drawn back to that Out-of-Office messages she set in her email apps.
(If I were the recipient that got to read such auto-reply messages, I might reply with ‘Rest in Peace’?)
“Hhm… Hhm!” She smirked a little.
(I think I would! But only to those colleagues that are close to me. A little naughty tease at work, is fine.)
“We would now dim the light for taking off. If you need to read, you may switch on the reading light.” The words from the air-stewardess echoed in the flight. As the lights in the flight were dimmed, Lina also slowly closed her eyes. With eyes closed, her body senses were getting more sensitive to the surroundings. It sensed the forces from the aeroplane when it was taking off from the ground. She loved that feeling.
Lina didn’t burden her mind with any thoughts at that moment. Simply focus on the sensation of being lifted and flown into the space by the aeroplane. (It’s turning slightly to the left now…)
That was the wonder of human body, one can feel and aware of where he or she was directed to, just by the information sent to the brain by their body and senses.
‘Ding’ (Okay, the flight is stable now.) Lina leaned her seat backward a little, for more comfortable room, in this economy seat. She relaxed herself.
(‘Rest In Peace’… It can be used on daily conversation as well, right? Not necessarily only during funeral. Yeah, these three words could be ‘heavy’ when conveyed in condolences sentence. But, for me, I might use it to joke with my friends, we don’t have to be so serious all the time. Let me be clear; I am not cursing anyone to K.O. soon or the sort!)
(Just go by the meaning of the words. As simple as that. ‘REST’ in ‘PEACE’, literally, means have a good and relaxing time without any disturbance from anyone or anything. Like me, now, I’m on leave. I don’t expect my colleagues or my boss to call me up and ask me to attend to work matters.) Lina was busy debating, in her monkey mind.
Lina opened her eyes and reached her backpack that she stuffed beneath the front seat. She took out her water tumbler and had a few sips of the warm water she got it refilled from the waiting area just now. “Huh…” The soothing flow of water through her throat killed the thirst. She put things back in order. She leaned back; placed her palms on top of her stomach area, and slightly intertwined her fingers.
(When it comes my time to bid farewell to this mundane world, I would be receiving ‘Rest in Peace’ wishes from many. But would I really be in peace by then? I don’t think I would.)
(For the panic personality in me that can’t handle emergency situation well, I believe I would be in panic mode at that moment. Definitely. That would be the time for me to enter into that ‘unknown’ world – the after world, the heaven or the hell – all by myself! No one ever know exactly, how that after world looks like or be. How can I not be panic? I would be all on my own. Would my grandpa or any of my deceased family members come and ‘fetch’ me, or perhaps, the guardians or policemen of the after world, please? I am scared to be alone in pitch dark place… Can I ask for someone to lead me please, dear Gods?) Lina still lost in her thoughts, even though there were some chatting voices from passengers at seats near her and some conversation between passengers to the air-stewardess on their flight purchases. She wasn’t bothered by any of those, at all.
(Would the guardians look like those characters as described in the novel? The guardian with Horse or Bull’s head? Or the angel with wings? I wonder.) Lina chuckled a little when she thought about it. She was getting a little excited by all these unknown part and parcel of journey that every human being has to go through, at some point of time.
(Can I ask them questions? Am I allowed to talk to the guardian? I have 1001 questions in my head that I don’t have any answer to them!)
(Hmm… By the way, between heaven and hell, where would I end up be?)
(I didn’t do much bad things my whole life. Well, a little pranks and gossips… and some lies… here and there. Not causing any crimes but for the sake of harmony outcome. Oh, my… What punishment would I get for those acts I took then. If I were to send to hell… Emm… I guess, I might have chances to meet my friends there? Ha-ha~ That’s for sure. If I knew that I still have friends around me, I won’t feel so lonely when I undergo the punishments sentenced on me, in hell. They can laugh at me when I get punished and I would do the same onto them when they went through their punishment moment. Not so lonely… But if I were sent to the heaven… How would heaven look like? Would it be in pure white and gold as illustrated in the movies? Will I be stepping on those fluffy clouds? Interesting.)
A child’s cried in the flight broke her thoughts of train for a while. Lina opened her eyes. The parent of the child tried to calm the little girl with some sweet talks. Lina peaked at the sky view through that opal-shaped window. (Pitch dark… Nothing to see.) Lina thought to herself.
(But, I might still be afraid of meeting my beloved deceased ones there, actually. If they were in good conditions and enjoying their afterlife, then that’s great to see. But if they were suffering… I couldn’t bring myself to stay strong to witness that…)
Lina continued to close her eyes to have a little nap, if possible. But her active mind didn’t allow her to do so.
(Will I get the chance to meet with Gods? One glance? Can I talk to them? I have something, nope, a lot of things that I would like to ask them. I don’t know which of the Gods will show up…)
(If I get to meet with Buddha, how would HIS hair style look like? Until this day, I still can’t envisage his hair style by the way HIS status was designed and presented. Was Buddha having curly hair and HE tied it up as a bun? I’m so curious to know.)
(If I get to meet with Jesus, I would like to hear HIS thoughts on the way bible was worded. Does HE agree to all of them?)
(If I get to meet with Prophet M., I would like to know if HE wants to send a few smacks on the head of those people that tweaked the genuine definition behind the Quran and comprehended it according to the way they preferred? Oh gosh… No matter which GOD I get to meet, I have bunch of questions for them. Would they have time for this tiny yet bubbly soul – me?)
“Dear passengers, we are about to landing soon. Please have your seat belt fasten…” The voice from the air-stewardess was heard next. (Oh, so fast? I day-dreamed for so long?) Lina chuckled, again. She put her seat back to its original state. She stretched her arms and her stiff back a little.
She saw some street lights from the city beneath that shined like stars, through the window now. (Hometown, I’m back.) Lina said this, in her mind, to the city that she has lived for so many years. Lina has a list of food that she wanted to eat during this trip back home. She missed those local food so much.
Lina leaned her head to the headrest, and starred to the space in front of her; her gaze lost focus.
(That life quote… What was it again? ‘Life is a journey that one has to go through it all by oneself.’ If he or she has someone by their side, that’s lucky for them to have a companion, during that period of time in their life. But most of the time, one has to go through it all by themselves. For instance, when one undergoes a medical operation, when one suffers the pain from an accident, when one goes through the emotional roller-coaster from an impactful encounter… When one… passed away.)
(Anyway, I have to prepare myself to stay strong, to face all those matters and balance my emotions when handling each of those encounters or issues. Afterlife? That, without a doubt, makes me panic; but excites me at the same time too. Dear Gods, please continue to protect and guide me.) Lina sent a wink to the air. She smiled.
Time to alight from the flight. “Thank you.” Lina nodded to the air-stewardesses that stood by the entrance of the flight.
Lina walked quickly towards the custom counter in order to get all the routine checks done. She couldn’t wait to meet her family next.
(I’m going to have a week ‘Rest in Peace’!)
