In Loving Memory of Mdm Loh Leng Khim
[6a.m. I can't get to sleep. She popped into my mind. Moment by moment, memories started to gush thru' my mind. I started to tear. Before I know it, I was crying out bitterly. I miss her so much, so much.]
She is my beloved Grandmother.
She was a strong woman of her time. She lived thru' war. She lived thru' the Independence of our Nation. She got married. Had 6 kids. Became a young widow; the oldest was 12, the youngest was 6 mths old. She lived thru' it.
But life wasn't easy for this young widow. For all the businesses her late husband left behind, others were preying on them. Preying on this helpless widow. She mayb helpless, yet she is strong-willed. She worked hard to bring up her 6 kids, to instill values in them, to get them educated, to get them to stand on their own 2 feet and not be looked down upon by others as "father-less kids".
She worked hard, she 'played hard' as well. She was a heavy smoker, a heavy drinker. From tender age I can recall... She cld gobble down a bottle of Martell by herself. Easily. And still be able to walk straight. It probabbly became an addiction... No one could stop her. Coz she made it this far. She lived thru' it.
As a Grandmother, she did all she did, like what she did to her 6 kids. Tender loving care combined with countless strokes of canes. She did all she could to take care of me. I was a sickly child. She nursed me to pink health. My folks were "never" ard.She's had basically raised me till I was a young teen, until I became a rebellious kid. Looking at memories only brings back heartaches and tears. How much I wish she is still ard.
As a misfitted teenager, a misfitted granddotter, I brought her heartaches. I gave her headaches. I made her cry. The things I did, I regretted. I regretted for her pain and tears.
The last years b4 she left was probably the hardest time in her life. Not only did she leave with unfufilled dreams, but she left with worries.
"... if I had raised my kids, to fight among themselves, what is the point? I failed my duty towards them and my late husband?..."
"... I dun wanna leave... my beloved granddotter... I haf yet to see her graduate... yet to see her settle down... yet to see her blissed..."
My dear grandmother... You haf done all you could. You've been great. U fufilled your duties. I haf graduated... thou u can't be there... and I miss you terribly...
If only I spent more time? or If only I cld turn back time?
No matter how misfitted I am, or whoever thinks I'm an unfifial child... In her eyes, it doesn't matter...