[read] Instructions In Case of My Death

I HONESTLY HOPE I DON’T WAKE UP TOMORROW.

IF BY SOME MIRACLE, I DON’T:

PLEASE LOOK FOR A WHITE “LIFELINE” CARD BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEATH IN MY BLACK WALLET.

BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE, I WANT TO DONATE THE STILL USEFUL PARTS OF ME TO OTHERS.

BURNING THEM WOULD BE SUCH A WASTE.

PLEASE CREMATE MY BODY AFTER A 5-DAY WAKE. 

YES, I KNOW YOU DON'T LIKE IT, BUT IT'S MY LAST HURRAH, SO ---

HAVE A “HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER”, “FRIENDS”, FAVORITE MOVIES (on my Facebook Photo Albums) MARATHON ALL THROUGHOUT THE WAKE. 

PLAY THEM SIMULTANEOUSLY ON SEPARATE TVs. 

LET THE GUESTS CHOOSE AND ENJOY.

ALSO, PREPARE A FEAST AS IF IT WAS MY BIRTHDAY (especially on the last night). I DON'T WANT THAT SIOPAO AND ZEST-O SHIT.

IT'S THE LAST TIME YOU'D EVER SEE ME. BE A DARLING AND CELEBRATE.

NOW,

IN MY DEATH, I ONLY HAVE THREE LAST REQUESTS.

I HOPE YOU WILL RESPECT AND ACCEPT THEM.

FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANTLY

I DON’T WANT A CHRISTIAN WAKE.

OR FUNERAL.

IT’S NOT BEFITTING ANYMORE.

IN FACT, I DON’T WANT ANY PRAYERS, WORSHIP SERVICES, OR WORSHIP MUSIC PLAYING DURING MY WAKE OR FUNERAL.

FOR THE LOVE OF (YOUR) GOD, JUST DON’T.

“VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU”:

I DON’T WANT A CHRISTIAN WAKE OR FUNERAL.

PERIOD.

SECOND

AFTER MY CREMATION, I DON’T WANT TO BE JUST SITTING AROUND IN A JAR.

PLEASE,

PLEASE,

SCATTER MY ASHES IN THESE LOCATIONS:

1) ANGEL’S LANDING IN ZION NATIONAL PARK, UTAH, USA.

2)DURING THE "MANHATTANHENGE" PHENOMENON AT MANHATTAN, NEW YORK; WHICH OCCURS DURING THE MANHATTAN SOLSTICE. SPECIFICALLY, NEARBY THE ICONIC EMPIRE STATE AND CHRYSLER BUILDINGS ON 34TH AND 42ND STREET.

GOOGLE WHAT DAY IT HAPPENS THE YEAR YOU SCATTER MY ASHES.  

IF TRICKY, NEW YORK'S TIMES SQUARE WILL DO (preferably on New Year's Eve. Be discrete, though). 

The "Manhattanhenge" Phenomenon

 A Deserted Times Square, New York

3) GANGES RIVER IN INDIA (during their festival, and on the clean parts of the river, please).

4) THE SEA, BY THE OLD BLANDINA AT MIAGAO, ILOILO; 

WHERE I HAD THE BEST TALKS OF MY LIFE WITH ATE JOY.

5) THE BRIDGE CONNECTING BRGY. TINURIK AND BRGY. BAGUMBAYAN AT TANAUAN, BATANGAS;

WHERE TRIXIE, CHRISTIAN, BUTIK, MIA, JUSTINE, AND I USED TO END OUR AFTERNOON JOGS AND JUST LOOK AT THE SUNSET-DRENCHED SKY AND STARE AT THE EXPRESSWAY BELOW.

IT WAS THE MOST PEACEFUL I HAVE EVER BEEN.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS REQUEST MAY ENTAIL YOU SAVING UP FOR YEARS OR ASKING FOR FAVORS FROM OUR FRIENDS LIVING IN THESE PLACES.IT'S FINE.

AS LONG AS YOU CAN SCATTER MY ASHES IN THEM.

PLEASE.

I WOULD HAVE TRAVELED TO THESE PLACES IF I WAS ALIVE.

BUT I'M NOT.

SO BE A DARLING AND GO THERE FOR ME.

FINALLY, HONOR THIS LAST REQUEST:

DO NOT BURY ME NOR KEEP MY ASHES IN BACOLOD CITY.

AGAIN: NEVER BURY ME NOR KEEP MY ASHES IN BACOLOD CITY.

I NEVER CONSIDERED IT HOME.

IT WAS NEVER MY HOME.

I WAS NEVER TRULY “AT HOME” ANYWHERE, REALLY.

BUT AT LAST,

MY DEATH WILL FINALLY LEAD ME TO “NOTHINGNESS”.

PERHAPS, IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY HOME.  

-       - Em

P.S.

In case you were wondering:

Yes, I did NOT leave a suicide/farewell/gratitude note.

It’s completely unnecessary.