Daily Lesson from Life 13 September 2008

"Thu, Sep 11, 2008 The New Paper Former DJ to host his funeral via DVD

HE has planned his own funeral, down to what he will wear and who is going to host the event. He wants to be dressed in the army uniform he wore to his father's funeral.

And he is in the process of choosing the best picture he has - one that will capture his essence for his funeral photo.

Former radio DJ Billy Wang, also known as Dongfang Billy, also plans to host his own funeral here. He will address family and friends in a DVD he has been making with the help of an assistant.

It is a documentary of his life as well as a record of things he wants to say individually to the people in his life.
The DVD, which is almost completed, will help to set the mood at his funeral.

It starts off in Mandarin with: 'Hi, how are you? I'm Billy. Are you surprised I'm your host?' The DVD will also have 10 hymns sung by Billy.

The former DJ, who now heads a cancer charity, wants his funeral to be held at his home first and then at his church. He hopes no one will cry. And he wants everyone to celebrate.

The 45-year-old said in an interview with Lianhe Wanbao: 'I don't want people to be sad. I want them to throw a party.' "

Mr. Billy Wang's story is a fascinating one. He reconciled with his family after he was 1st diagnosed with cancer. He had found his peace at that time. It was hailed as 'the fortunate thing despite the unfortunate cancer'. Subsequently the cancer went into remission after surgery and treatments. He changed his lifestyles and attitudes towards many things. The knot around the family relationship got untangled and developed into positive one! It is the experience of a lifetime!

Now the cancer is back and he has resigned to the fact that he will leave the world soon. But just like the Carnegie Mellon university professor who did his now famous 'My Last Lecture", he wanted to leave the world on his own terms and in his own way. It is courageous and at the same time touching!

Lessons for me are:

1. significant events that happened in our lives can changed our perspective on life's many things big and small drastically. When we look positively at these curl balls that life thrown at us, we are enlightened. But if we don't, we will be cursed and suffered unnecessarily!;

2. it is probably better to know you are dying and when then not knowing. If you are positive, it will leave you time to plan your death and funeral and say a good farewell to everyone you cherished and treasured! May the best out of the remaining time on earth!;

3. it take tremendous courage and belief to hold ourselves together when facing death. An unknown. What will happen to us when we pass away from this world? I don't want to think about it as there is no one answer. Depending on which religions you believed it, there are several ways to the next life. I just wish that I will be remembered by others as: a good human being overall.

With best wishes to Mr. Billy Wang and I still hope that miracle occurs and save his short life!