Tears in Heaven

“Bad news, Tze Yi passed away!” Those were the exact words that was relayed to me on the night you departed us. Your death was sudden, so sudden that it took us many unconvincing hours to accept the reality. The news of your sudden departure was hard to swallow. You were too young but as it slowly dawned on us, we realized that you had indeed lived your life wonderfully. You were well-loved and you had done so many things on earth and I’m sure you’ll do much more in heaven. I will forever be grateful to have known you as my nephew. Forever grateful that you were there at the right place and at the right time to share our lives, though it meant you have to go earlier. All the memories we have shared with you will forever be cherished and remembered. You will forever live in our hearts.

What is it that we remember when we think of you? I think everyone who knows you well would agree with me on this. You weren’t the cleverest amongst the siblings, or his cousins. But your determinations spoke well for you, and we are proud of you. You went through your post secondary years with your own efforts, even though at times the odds were against you. And you graduated with a bachelor degree making you the first graduate amongst the cousins. We now regretted no being there on your graduation day to share with you your only milestone achievement. If only time can be reversed, I promise I will be the first one to attend your graduation.

I can’t remember much about your growing years. I left home when you were a toddler. Every time I returned home, you grew a bit more. The only thing I remember was your squint eye, which we forgivingly went unnoticed. And through the years you gave us the joy of someone worth having and hanging around. That’s the trademark of you, Tze Yi. You have always wanted to make people happy.

Tze Yi is in heaven now. This is not the time for us to grieve his death but it’s our time to celebrate his life. Don’t ever forget Tze Yi. He never wanted to see people cry, he wanted everyone to be happy. Now that we have laid his body to rest, let us all think back and remember how Tze Yi touched our lives. How he made us laugh and how good he was as a person. This is not the moment for us to shed our tears but we should all be thankful that we were given the chance to have known a person named Tze Yi.

And,

輕輕的你走了，正如你輕輕的來
If tears could build a stairway,

And memories were a lane,

We could all walk right up to heaven,

And bring him home again.

輕輕的你走了，正如你輕輕的來
No farewell words were spoken,

No time to say goodbye,

You were gone before we knew it,

And only God knows why.

輕輕的你走了，正如你輕輕的來
Our hearts still aches in sadness,

And secret tears still flow,

What it meant to lose you,

No one will ever know.

For being a great chess player, this move of yours had us puzzled. For being a King’s Scout, we will honour your every move. From all of us, rest in peace, Tze Yi. You will be remembered and loved as if you are still with us.