A Tribute To Grandma
Today is my paternal grandmother's death anniversary. I went with my relatives to visit and clean her grave earlier today. She passed away exactly 4 years ago on Oct 4, 2001.
My grandmother raised me up during my childhood days, so naturally I was very close to her. As I was very mischievous then, tolerating my nonsense was quite a feat in itself. She was patient and tolerant by nature anyway, putting up with my abusive grandfather for tens of years. A typical modern day woman would have just walked out on him. She had a hard life, and I thought she deserved better.
Being able to wonderfully raise up all her children despite the odds was what made her so respected and very much loved. She wasn't always in the pink of health but would never use her illness as an excuse to laze around. She was hardworking despite her age, doing the groceries and household chores while she could.
And she never complained. Only by looking at her weathered and aging skin, could one tell how much she had been through.
I remember once, I told her I did not want her to die. She laughingly replied in dialect, "Soo koo kia, tak nang tior see gai". (which means "Silly child, everyone has to die" in English)
After she said that, I was puzzled at why death should befall a harmless, loving and seemingly faultless person like her. I wanted to be with her for as long as I could. But as the years passed, I came to understand and accept that everyone had to face death one day.
Grandma lived frugally. Expensive jewellery and costly gadgets didn't appeal to her as much as the thought of saving money did. Washing the clothes manually even though she had a washing machine at home was a testimony to this. Grandma wouldn't accept our money either, even though we wanted to give her a monthly allowance so she could enjoy herself and buy what she wanted. Maybe the word enjoy wasn't even in her vocabulary, and she was more concerned about whether we had enough to spend anyway.
So the fateful day came. It all started with a fever, then she was admitted to the hospital and was found to be suffering from liver problems. After suffering for a couple of months in the hospital, she finally succumbed to her illness on October 4, 2001.
Life indeed, is alike waves of the sea
Who can fathom its coming and its going?
Madam Chia Soon Khim, a loving and caring mother and grandmother. Dearly cherished, deeply loved, sadly missed by all.
My grandmother raised me up during my childhood days, so naturally I was very close to her. As I was very mischievous then, tolerating my nonsense was quite a feat in itself. She was patient and tolerant by nature anyway, putting up with my abusive grandfather for tens of years. A typical modern day woman would have just walked out on him. She had a hard life, and I thought she deserved better.
Being able to wonderfully raise up all her children despite the odds was what made her so respected and very much loved. She wasn't always in the pink of health but would never use her illness as an excuse to laze around. She was hardworking despite her age, doing the groceries and household chores while she could.
And she never complained. Only by looking at her weathered and aging skin, could one tell how much she had been through.
I remember once, I told her I did not want her to die. She laughingly replied in dialect, "Soo koo kia, tak nang tior see gai". (which means "Silly child, everyone has to die" in English)
After she said that, I was puzzled at why death should befall a harmless, loving and seemingly faultless person like her. I wanted to be with her for as long as I could. But as the years passed, I came to understand and accept that everyone had to face death one day.
Grandma lived frugally. Expensive jewellery and costly gadgets didn't appeal to her as much as the thought of saving money did. Washing the clothes manually even though she had a washing machine at home was a testimony to this. Grandma wouldn't accept our money either, even though we wanted to give her a monthly allowance so she could enjoy herself and buy what she wanted. Maybe the word enjoy wasn't even in her vocabulary, and she was more concerned about whether we had enough to spend anyway.
So the fateful day came. It all started with a fever, then she was admitted to the hospital and was found to be suffering from liver problems. After suffering for a couple of months in the hospital, she finally succumbed to her illness on October 4, 2001.
Life indeed, is alike waves of the sea
Who can fathom its coming and its going?
Madam Chia Soon Khim, a loving and caring mother and grandmother. Dearly cherished, deeply loved, sadly missed by all.
posted by dlauposer | 5:44 AM
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