On the afternoon of March 2, I came across the heartbreaking news of Khalil Fong’s passing. I was shocked. My heart sank. He wasn’t just a singer to me—he was a poet, a storyteller, someone who turned emotions into music. His songs weren’t just melodies; they were poetry wrapped in sound, filled with love, depth, and sincerity. In a world that often feels rushed and disconnected, his music reminded me of the beauty in slowing down and feeling deeply.
Lately, I’ve seen more and more young artists leaving this world too soon. It’s a sobering thought. We often believe that staying healthy—eating well, exercising, avoiding bad habits—can guarantee a long life. But reality doesn’t work that way. I’ve known people who never smoked, never drank, lived active lifestyles, and still, one day, they were gone. Imagine having a gym buddy, someone you greet every day, someone who’s always there—and then, suddenly, one day, they’re not. It makes you wonder: how much of life is really in our control? Science tells us that 80% of our health and longevity come from our genes, while only 20% is shaped by lifestyle. It’s unsettling to realize that so much is beyond our hands.
Turning 30 makes you see the world differently. You start realizing that there are things you simply can’t change. Fate plays a bigger role than we like to admit. Some people accept this and choose to live in the moment, embracing the philosophy of carpe diem. Others, caught up in life’s demands—marriage, kids, responsibilities—don’t even have the time to think about the meaning of it all. And then, there are those who keep searching, questioning, wandering through life without settling on a single perspective.
Society hands us a formula: go to school, graduate, get a job, get married, have kids. It’s like a train with scheduled stops, telling us when we should reach each stage. But is that really how life should be? The saying 三十而立，四十不惑 (At thirty, you should stand firm; at forty, you should be free from doubt) suggests that by our thirties, we should have it all figured out. But Khalil Fong left this world at 41, and there was still so much left unsaid, so much more he could have given. No one is ever truly free from doubt.
As the world evolves, I believe we must learn to respect the uniqueness of every person’s journey. Some people live for their children, some for love, some for success, others for the thrill of adventure. Maybe they all understand that, in the end, we are all headed to the same destination—death. And that’s exactly why the meaning of life isn’t about how long we live but how we choose to fill the space in between.
Philosopher Zhou Guoping once said, “Life is meaningless. The only thing you need to do is find something you love and make it your work, find someone you love and be with them.” And maybe, that’s the closest thing to an answer. Maybe that’s what Khalil Fong’s music taught me—to love deeply, to create fully, and to embrace life in its rawest form.
As his song says, '等到风景都看透，也许你会陪我看细水长流。' (When we’ve seen all the scenery, maybe you’ll stay with me to watch the river flow.) His music remains, and through it, his presence lingers—like a melody that never truly fades away.
Felicia Yoan is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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