Quiet is the New Loud
About
Thursday, November 23, 2006
in mourning
Ah Ma, my grandmother from my mother's side, passed away on 23rd November 2006, around 10pm Singapore time. She was at the good age of 80+ (I think it's 85), and my uncle and his wife, and my third aunt was by her side. I was on my way to school in Canada at that time. The weird thing was that when I was in the shower just now, I was thinking of Ah Ma, how she was doing at the hospital and how my sister must have had her Grad Night on Thursday her time already, and how unpleasant it must have been if anything happened then.
And then the telephone call from my Mum.. My heart sank when I heard the news, yet I didn't really cry then. My Mum sounded alright, but I know she had tears in her eyes at some points of our conversation as with her shakey voice. Then I started to tear a little as I thought of how I haven't seen Ah Ma in 2 years. My brother and I did manage to speak to her during our Summer break when we were in KL. Despite this, I feel bad for not being there, or even trying to make an effort to call her when she was admitted to the hospital. My Mum said Ah Ma kind of lost the fighting spirit when she was in hospital as she didn't want to burden my parents and aunts and uncles. On a brighter side, disease wasn't the cause and Ah Ma lived well into a good age and witnessed the addition of 2 great-grandchildren.
I grew up under the care of Ah Ma when me and my siblings visited Singapore from KL during school holidays. She cooked dinner all the time when we were there. Her Vegetarian soup, Pepper Pig's Stomach soup, her Crispy Tofu and other dishes. Ah Ma also loved playing black strip cards with Chinese characters on them at the void deck of the HDB block. But as we grew older, the language barrier became harder to overcome, even though we visited her regularly when we moved to Singapore.
I'm tearing up again. If only I could give her one more hug.. The date for her 'chu bing' is on the 27th November 2006. I asked if we had to observe anything, but my Mum said not much since we were far away, but just to pray to the skies to Ah Ma. To my Mum, Dad, aunts, uncles and others, be strong.
Ah Ma, I'm sorry that the line I always asked you when we conversed on the phone was "Le chiak pa buey?". I'm sorry I didn't get to talk to you, see you or hug you once more. But, thank you for everything.
May you rest in peace..
And then the telephone call from my Mum.. My heart sank when I heard the news, yet I didn't really cry then. My Mum sounded alright, but I know she had tears in her eyes at some points of our conversation as with her shakey voice. Then I started to tear a little as I thought of how I haven't seen Ah Ma in 2 years. My brother and I did manage to speak to her during our Summer break when we were in KL. Despite this, I feel bad for not being there, or even trying to make an effort to call her when she was admitted to the hospital. My Mum said Ah Ma kind of lost the fighting spirit when she was in hospital as she didn't want to burden my parents and aunts and uncles. On a brighter side, disease wasn't the cause and Ah Ma lived well into a good age and witnessed the addition of 2 great-grandchildren.
I grew up under the care of Ah Ma when me and my siblings visited Singapore from KL during school holidays. She cooked dinner all the time when we were there. Her Vegetarian soup, Pepper Pig's Stomach soup, her Crispy Tofu and other dishes. Ah Ma also loved playing black strip cards with Chinese characters on them at the void deck of the HDB block. But as we grew older, the language barrier became harder to overcome, even though we visited her regularly when we moved to Singapore.
I'm tearing up again. If only I could give her one more hug.. The date for her 'chu bing' is on the 27th November 2006. I asked if we had to observe anything, but my Mum said not much since we were far away, but just to pray to the skies to Ah Ma. To my Mum, Dad, aunts, uncles and others, be strong.
Ah Ma, I'm sorry that the line I always asked you when we conversed on the phone was "Le chiak pa buey?". I'm sorry I didn't get to talk to you, see you or hug you once more. But, thank you for everything.
May you rest in peace..