I was watching an interview with Daily Ketchup with Ng Kok Song, a candidate for the Singapore Presidential Election. He was talking about his last 19 months spent with his last wife; a segment worth watching and re-watching. The host mentioned the “After Life” series he was watching. Wow, what a discovery! It is certainly one of the most memorable Netflix series. There are many great scenes and quotes.
Spoiler alert!
After Life is a British 3-part series about a newspaper writer, Tony whose wife died from cancer. He felt life became meaningless. He thought of suicide but decided to do and say whatever he wanted to (i.e. being nasty and pissing off people).
He “saw” images of his wife in the house, with her stuff, in places they frequented and the songs she loved. Throughout the series, there were recorded videos by his wife aimed to serve as a guide for him, memories of their happier times and telling him to get on with his life. Many tried to persuade and convince him to be happy in many scenes. Below are some memorable quotes.
Happiness is amazing. It’s so amazing, it doesn’t matter if it’s yours or not. It is a lovely thing. A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in. Good people do things for other people. That’s it, the end. And you are good, Tony. You have so much to give….
In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.
Robert Frost
We’re not just here for us; we’re here for others.
There are angels by the way. They don’t have wings and live in clouds. They wear nurse’s uniforms and work hard to pay the rent on their houses. Some work for charities because they can’t look the other way. Some have four legs and bark. But whatever they look like, they all save lives.
If you want to be an angel, you’ve got to do it while you’re alive. Be good and do good things,
Hope is everything.
While he felt life was unfair with the passing of his wife, he slowly realised that there are nice people with good intentions and there are many people with difficulties and struggled with their lives. There is no need to make them more miserable and being able to make them happy in any way we can is good.
It is a dark comedy series. I find it a meaningful series with many snippets about life.
Have hope. Please be happy. 😊
Life is precious because you can’t watch it again. I mean, you can believe in an afterlife if that makes you feel better. Doesn’t mean it’s true. But once you realize you’re not gonna be around forever, I think that’s what makes life so magical. One day you’ll eat your last meal, smell your last flower, hug your friend for the very last time. You might not know it’s the last time, so that’s why you should do everything you love with passion, you know? Treasure the few years you’ve got because that’s all there is.
Towards the end of the third (and last) series, in the recorded video, the wife read the bereavement poem “Immortality”:
Do not stand
Clare Harner, The Gypsy, December 1934
By my grave, and weep.
I am not there,
I do not sleep—
I am the thousand winds that blow
I am the diamond glints in snow
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle, autumn rain.
As you awake with morning’s hush,
I am the swift, up-flinging rush
Of quiet birds in circling flight,
I am the day transcending night.
Do not stand
By my grave, and cry—
I am not there,
I did not die.
She ended by asking him to enjoy life. Don’t worry about her. Just worry about yourself. Be happy, be kind, be Tony (yourself) and she blew him a kiss.
Some of the memorable songs played during the series:
– And so it goes by Billy Joel
– Lovely day by Bill Withers
– Daughter by Youth
– Both sides now by Joni Mitchell
– Love is the answer by England Dan and John Ford Coley
– Let down by Radiohead
We do not know how our lives and our loved ones will be. It may not be easy. Treasure the present with our loved ones.
Have hope. Be happy.
A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in. Good people do things for other people.
