what's it all about?

what am i going to write here?  i don't know, except that i'm sure it's not about death or dying.

it was last saturday.  i fired up the browser, opened a few tabs checking out the usual places.  at my very first glance there was a top-center picture of barack obama and tim russert at the front page of the new york times and i naturally thought, so obama was coming up on meet the press...

when i finally returned to the times and saw the few words above that photo, i was so shocked i slowly said those words out loud, with a question mark lingered in my voice.  strangely, nobody around at work seemed to have noticed the noise i just made.  still, "tim russert is dead"??!

although i don't consider myself a fan, russert would automatically have my ears whenever he was there to say something.  you could feel it - the passion he had for what he did.

i don't pretend to know the answer; what i think is a passing like this reminds us to question how one is to live.

it was the same with sydney pollock.

i haven't seen so many of his works, but i was always delighted to see him appearing in the ones i have, either in front of the camera or behind the scene.  there were occasions when a film caught my attention and i later found that it was associated with him, as if he was always in my way, for good reasons.

people like them are after something - a quest, like unveiling the truth, conquering the highest mountain, or simply answering their calling they've heard all along.  and the energy given off of their pursuit does affect others.

today, to me, their devotion proves that we don't have to give up our dreams, bury our believes, and surrender to the system.  our future is really in our own hands, and the only way to ensure a chance to realize your vision, is to put your thoughts into action.

it doesn't sound so difficult, does it?!

[image above is the front page of nytimes.com as of 23:29 friday june 13 2008.]