She passed away peacefully at the age of 96.
This is almost exactly 20 years after Ah Gong had passed away when I was in Sec 1.
Ah mah was an amazing lady.
She never understood the concept of retirement or rest.
Even though she did not had to work for income, she always insisted on going around the neighbourhood, collecting old cardboards and AL cans for recycling, or taking small assignments of stringing through the plastic paper bags which are used at coffee shops for take-away drinks.
A few years ago, she was knocked down by a reversing car in the car park and had to be admitted to TTS hospital. Even after that, she was still undeterred and continued to work.
Unlike Granny, Ah Mah did not suffer from any debilitating disease or illness. Apart from hard of hearing, she was pretty healthy for her age. This has probably got to do with her insistence on continuing to work instead of slowing down.
Even though I had never been able to communicate effectively with her due to my lack of proficiency in Hokkien, she is still played a very important role in holding the extended family together.
I couldn't help but still cried when the reality of Ah mah leaving us forever set in, when her coffin being wheeled into the crematorium.
Heard JJ Lin's "會有那麼一天" on 933 this morning. The lyrics just reminded me of Ah Mah again. Pretty much similar to Collin Raye's "Love Me", the lyrics goes about the love between Grandpa and Grandma, about how the surviving partner is waiting to reunite in heavens with the loved one that had left.
I believe it hadn't been an easy journey for Ah Mah but after placing her ashes in the columbarium yesterday, next to Ah Gong, I pray that she is now happily reunited with Ah Gong in paradise.
Rest in peace, Ah Mah.
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