While D & I were on a modern silk route (looking at ruins the Roman empire left behind), her centurion of a grandfather whom we saw just before going on the trip passed away. He is on a journey too. The most important one... a route to heaven.
She wrote a eulogy for him which J read out at his funeral. M and J call him Ah Chor and he is the only great grandparent they ever knew.
"My earliest memories of ah gong are going on rides with him.
He had a scooter which was parked below the large mango tree in the house at 32 Alexandra Terrace i used to sit on it now and then and have a burn mark on my left calf as a natural tattoo to mark one of my early adventures with it.
I remember in particular one car ride where we went for a drive and we visited one of his bosses' house - some ang moh chap. I had the chance to see the compounds of a nice big house and play for a short while inside a place very different from my own home. It seeded in me an early desire to appreciate houses and i would go on to take long walks in my teens and aimless drives when i finally had my license, in different neighbourhoods in whichever country i was in, just to marvel at the beautiful ones and dream of living in one some day.
Ah gong was a driver and a story teller.
He wasnt particularly demonstrative but through his stories and commentaries about life in general and world affairs and situations reported on the news channels on TV, he shared his advice and imparted his wisdom in his booming voice in a mix of English and hokkien. Sometimes laughing at his own comments, sometimes admonishing everyone in general. World politicians not exempt!
He was a distant figure when i was growing up, a fierce presence in the family. I would engage with him at the milestones of my life, with my boyfriend now husband, my babies now adults, and he always had some advice for us. Study hard, work hard, drive carefully, watch the road, slow down at the junctions, pay attention to traffic lights, take care of yourself. Simple words but heartfelt, evergreen and applicable in life.
Though undemonstrative, his greatest show of love was embracing the Christian faith. I never thought it possible but was awed when he agreed to follow in ah ma's footsteps - demonstrating in death what may not have been apparent in life. That love is never too late and it is wise to listen to the wife! :) My aunties and the faith leaders in their communites have been exemplary in their patient steadfastness. God bless them.
Ah gong it will be difficult to practise my hokkien without you. It is an important part of our heritage that I have not been good with but at least i think my driving "eh sai la"! I am not bad at sense of directio and parking! In the last couple of years I am very glad to have had the chance of taking you on a couple of car rides and sharing a meal or two with you in our our home.
Happy journey ahead ah gong! I will think of you driving now with Jesus and ah ma and uncle tat now - and imagine that there are no traffic lights or speed limits in heaven!
"Ah gong, le gah Jesus jiak hong liao!"
(Ah gong you can go joy ride with Jesus now)"
No comments:
Post a Comment