What's it like?

Recently,  I've been in a very introspective period, a phase triggered by two news of deaths: one from someone I've heard of, another of someone I work with. I am not personally close to both.

When November gave way to December, two people died. Dr. Ed Gomez, a national scientist and the man behind the largely-successful repopulation of the giant clams in the Philippines. Sue, a colleague I only know online through our news desk. 

I learned of Dr. Gomez's death first. His contributions to marine research were significant -- he conducted the first nationwide assessment of the coral reefs in the country in 1981, which led to conservation policies that continue to get updated, improved until today. He also helped repopulate the giant clams in the 1980s. From two giant clams, our waters now have more than a hundred thousand. And yes, it's the same giant clams that Chinese vessels illegally harvested in areas of the South China Sea under the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

"I wondered what's that like," I told June a few days ago. "To spend your entire life doing one thing you're extremely passionate about."

"Imagine what it's like see all your hard work get stolen before you die," was her only response.

It's also the same question that came to my mind when I heard of Sue's death. She doesn't want anyone at work to know. With the kind of set-up we have, it was easy to hide her ailment. With Sue's death, I asked the same thing. What's it like to live doing only one thing? To sustain a passion for a cause to the point that you continue doing it despite your body slowly betraying you?

What's it like?