My Ah Gong passed away this fateful afternoon, about 10hours ago. It's hard to accept him lying motionless on the bed when I see this photograph which was taken a few years ago during my uncle's wedding dinner. I will never forget the scene of him in that room with his covered body, eyes closed, and the medical apparatus sticking out of his mouth.
Even though I wasn't particularly close to him (in fact, we didn't ever speak much), it was still a painful reality to accept. It's ironic, when I recall that the longest time I ever spent with him alone was actually last Monday at the hospital where we chatted for about an hour about my job, when for the first (and unfortunately, last) time, I held him as he made his way to the gents. Come to think of it, it seemed that I hardly expressed any of such caring gestures when he was well, except for during the occasional visits during festive seasons. :(
Cliche as it may seem, it struck me hard that I should always treasure the people around me before they are gone. To be generous with my expressions of love and affection, no matter how small/simple the act may be.
Ah Gong, wah si ah fen...wah wu xion dio ler, ler zai ya bo? (Grandpa, I am Ah-Fen...I thought of you, do you know that?)