Death is an empty feeling. When we read about death in the papers, watch it on the television or hear it on the radio; we sigh and shake our heads on the needless loss of lives. Then the feelings pass and we carry on as if nothing had happened.

Death is an empty feeling. One appreciates the beauty of life and the joy of living when death brushes past but does not overtake. My cousin passed away in a car accident in the wee hours on Christmas day this year. She was on her way home after a party with some friends and was in the back seat with her boyfriend. Nobody really knew what happened or who was driving; but the SUV crashed into a tree and my cousin and her boyfriend were flung out of the car. She had 6 broken rib bones and a punctured lung. She passed away in the hospital 5 hours later without regaining consciousness. Her boyfriend had extensive surgery but died 3 days later. My cousin was 26.

Death is an empty feeling. This is especially when one remembers such accidents are often read in the papers but never realising it could happen to us. Nobody knew who was driving, if the driver was drunk or something had happened to cause the accident. All they knew was that looking at the extent of the crash; the car was probably travelling at 160km/h and that my cousin and her boyfriend had not put on their safety belts.

Death is an empty feeling. As I recollect how my cousin had visited me every holiday when we were younger and I had stayed at her home in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur. Then we slowly drifted apart as we grew up. But in my heart, she is always the cousin who had played and shopped with me every holiday. She is now the cousin who had met a violent end to her young life without reason.

Death is an empty feeling. I will forever remember to put on my safety belt and never to speed.

Death is an empty feeling and life is transient.