Dear Editor,
In Guyana, we practically know each other. So whenever there is a death, it’s a huge possibility that the person was known by very many people. It was another year of deaths, deaths and more deaths. The newspaper front pages tell it all. Has anyone kept check of how many deaths we had in Guyana this past year? I was once told by one of my lecturers that there is a unique balance of the number of new lives and deaths in the world. His theory makes thought-provoking sense. Death is happening every minute of every day around us, all over the world, and so are births; the cycle of life. But maybe man’s cruel actions have and will always continue to fuel God’s wrath upon him.
We are all too familiar with its dire consequences here at home. The beginning of our days is graced with the news: someone has died. Our minds race back to the last time we saw that person alive, the last words spoken to them, and the pain and hurt their death will bring to loved ones.
Surely, Guyana is not alone as it concerns deaths every day. It is much worse in other countries. It hurts more though when we lose young people to the grim reaper, or when we lose highly educated persons, who could have done so much more, like young Ms Bulkan and Minister Fox. There are more questions than answers which remain in the hearts of Guyanese. As our heads touch our pillows each night, our minds race to the next day; “Whose face will we see in tomorrow’s front page that death has won over?” we ask.
We hurt more than ever especially during this time of year. It doesn’t seem that death would give this battered nation a break – not even at the season of goodwill and love and cheer. At Christmas we celebrate the life of a child who brought light and life into the world. How paradoxical it is to our current national situation of the deaths of 2009. May their souls rest in peace.
Do we ever ponder upon those last powerful words we are very likely to hear from loved ones and friends?
Yours faithfully,
Leon Suseran
