Today, my "Bei Gong" aka Grand Uncle passed away in the afternoon 3pm++ ...

He's 84 years old this year.. he's a dark-skinned man who is partially deaf... I used to remember when i was a kid, i'm scared of him whenever i heard him come to my grandma's place... i would hide somewhere in the room at the back of everyone cos he talks like a "thunder"... Each of us have to greet him especially loud cos he's partially deaf. And he got a temper where everyone is scared of.. He's a loner who come and goes as and when he likes... even leaving Ah ma's house without saying goodbye at times... then nobody knows where he is and start guessing has he left??..hehe..

He always come looking for me and ask have i eaten while pinching my cheeks real hard. Despite his temper and 'roughness', he always bought me and my cousins sweets whenever we went to the nearby playground....But scold us real hard if we loiter too long outside, for example shouting across the blocks and said " Come back liao, so late already. Dun start moving i will beat you.." My cousins and i will then all scrambled back at once...

My mum always tell me "dun be afraid cos 'bei gong' is an old man le an is partially deaf thats why he speaks so loud and he got no children nor wife thats why he's not a gentle kind. But he still treats you all very good de right?? he bought sweets for you..."... "Cannot run away. Quick, go greet bei gong" ..

...and now the old man whom i'm scared so much of has left...

Its really sad to see him so lonely even to his last breath.. i heard my mum said that his last few days was very sad cos he lost his sight and ability to eat, and he have water retention that cause his face and legs to bloat alot.. My heart sink when i saw him...My aunts and uncle cried...

I told him my last words to him before he's been sent off by the undertaker. Hope he heard what i said to him...

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Life can be really sad and fragile... So learn to appreciate the things around you and cherish them before they fade away.. it can be gone in the next minute... Be there for those you cherish and not abandon them... Love unconditionally and not to ask for returns...Be contented and not to expect more and more...

Life can be beautiful if you allow it to happen...