If you think you're facing the worst thing ever in your life,
think again.
It is definitely not worse than losing your loved one.
A loved one who stays with you 24/7,
take care of you when you are little,
cooks delicious meals for you,
when you are up in the middle of the night, she sits beside you and stay awake with you,
shares her story with you,
explains the story of the opera to you,
learns English just to get closer to you.
Have you ever wondered everything that one do, what is the reason behind all these?
When I first came to this world, Granny was the second one who held me in her arms.
She took great care of me and watched me grow up.
From a baby till now, I'm a 17 years old girl.
I didn't live with my family.
It was when I was 7, I moved back to live with my mother and that is when my Granny is the only one looking after us, three sisters.
I remember the time the 3 of us would bathe together and play with water,
my Granny would take the cane and chase after us,
and scold us for playing with water.
Then we would close the door, and lock it.
Hahahah.
She never really wanted to use the cane to hit us.
She always pretended to hit us but in the fact, it didn't hurt at all.
And whenever we were gonna get caned, she would always side us and let us hide behind her.
How she loved us.
My Granny once brought me to the market.
She taught me how to buy groceries but I was too young to remember.
She used to buy me and my 2nd sister to the market then treat us ice cream.
She always wanted to pass us her cooking skills, but everytime we wanted to try..
She would ask us to go out as it is hot and stuffy.
How I loved her.
Then when I was around 8 or 9 years old,
my Granny came home when her hair permed.
The 3 of us got a shock and went running to her asking what she do to her hair.
Then she would tell us once a while, it doesn't matter.
How I missed her.
Oh oh, and there's the time when she will cook dishes, none of my liking...
But then again, there's always a small plate with a piece of my favourite fish.
And then she will smile and tell me that is cooked specially for me.
Oh god, I'm crying again.
& there's time when she learnt to sing English song for us.
The only English song she knows is Twinkle twinkle little star.
She used to sing," Twinkle twinkle little star" in her very strong Teochew accent.
Then we will all laugh and smile together.
But that was something she learnt, just for us.
I remember how happy she was that time when I covered blanket for her.
Whenever she called her friends, she would definitely tell them about it.
How I wish I could still do it for her and she could still sing for us.
She used to watch the opera show on Channel 8, saturday afternoon.
She loved them and I would normally watch with her then she would explain the story to me cause I don't understand dialect.
But when the show shifted to friday morning, I couldn't watch with her anymore.
Other than the opera shows,
she would tell me the World War II story..
the animals she used to rear..
the things she did when she was young..
how her mother pierced her ears when just needle and red thread..
the real life story of "ah teng" the snake..
how grandfather treated her..
how tough life was back then.
All her life experiences and now, I could only play it in my mind.
I can no longer hear it from her voice.
Granny was an awesome secret keeper.
It was a few years back, when we rented DVD from the rental shop and then we would ask her to help us keep the secret.
Because we weren't allowed to rent DVDs at all.
She really helped us keep the secret..
But somewhat, my mum will still find out.
Laughs.
And the last thing is,
Not forgetting just last Thursday when she said Good luck to me.
And the next thing I know is, thats gonna be the last thing she's going to say to me.
She admitted into hospital on Friday evening.
Where the hell was I?! School.
I even left house early in the morning.
Not knowing a single thing. But that was the last time I saw her.
Before she got onto the ambulance, her last words were," take care of shuan shuan".
The next day, hospital called and said her condition is critical.
Everyone rushed down but I couldn't. I was sick. ='(
Then my sister told me, they are all trying to talk to her.
She can hear us but couldn't reply us.
After a couple of hours, they say she went back to sleep.
So, everyone thought she's okay already.
Most left and only left a few of my relatives.
It was when my mum was already reaching Yishun..
Hospital called and said Granny passed away.
It was so sudden that I only remember myself crying.
I packed her clothes for her, I printed her photo for her.
Thats the last things I could do.
Granny has left.
All the unhappiness between grandpa and her has ended.
Everything ended the minute she closed her eyes.
It was quite a happy thing everything ended so early.
Cause she didn't have to suffer at all.
She had several illnesses but she didn't have to go through them before dying.
But it was just too sudden.
Mummy's taking it very hard. She cried and cried.
My 2nd sister, my Granny doted most, cried hard too.
My tears wouldnt stop flowing either.
Granny doted on us 4 the most.
I'm sorry Granny.
I'm sorry about the tantrums we threw at you.
How we missed your nagging.
How we missed carrying your dishes for you.
How we missed your cooking.
How we missed and missed YOU.
There's millions and millions of things she did for us.
Big or Small. Let's just keep it with us for our lifetime.
We will all miss you, Grandmother. =')
080809.
Rest in peace.
__
Thanks Abby, Boyf, Royston, Eugene, Chew Ping, Hui Yi and Timonthy for coming down and pay their last respect to my granny.
I think my granny knows your presence there and the incense papers that yall folded for her.
It is one whole bag. Thanks alot.
And friends who sent their condolences, thanks too.