Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Gratitude breeds strength and miracles in life

Gratitude quote (Pic source: Google.com)

On the last day attending my Uncle's funeral, an old man looking young, mighty, and bright, tall in height, came alone and walked towards the reception table with a white envelope on his hand. He dropped it into the donation box gently and filled up the reception book quietly.

I looked at his face and found it very familiar, as if I ever met him before. "I think I knew him. Who ah??? Couldn't be family member. But he's really looking very familiar. Dad's friend???" The thought kept running inside my head.

He looked around and decided to walk inside the room. True enough, he walked towards the direction where my dad was sitting down. As he passed by a narrow gap near where I sat, he walked and lowered his body down with a hand gesture, a body language known by Indonesians as, "Excuse me please," a very polite way to show.

The prayer to the decease was started. We were advised not to look at the coffin when it was being lifted and moved. So I decided to enter the same room and sit next to my dad. As I walked towards his direction, then my brain suddenly remembered on who the man was.

"Pa, Ko Asen ya??" I asked my dad and pointed my palm towards the man who sat beside him. It's better getting the confirmation from him rather than anyhow said.

"Iya," answered dad.

The guy looked at me and wondered how come I could recognise his name. I shook his hand immediately and told him my name and where I stayed. "Do you still remember me?" asked me.

"Oh... Ciao Ciao ya... Long time didn't see you, I could not recognise your face."

Grateful heart - magnet for miracles (Pic source: Google.com)

Suddenly he joined his both hands in front of his chest and shook it lightly towards me, "Si mung," he said. It was the Hakka dialect words meaning "Thank you."

"How have you been? You must be in good health now!!" exclaimed me excitingly upon the chance of meeting him again after so many years.

"He is very good now. 100% healthy!!!" My dad answered on his behalf excitingly too upon my reunion with him.

"Ciao Ciao is very good," he told my dad.

I was touched. He might not remember my face after so long, but he remembered how I treated him back then, when he visited Singapore with his wife to undergo chemotherapy.

That time my brother was not around so his house was empty. My dad informed me that his friend would stay there to undergo the chemotherapy and I, who held my brother's house key, received them upon their arrival and told them to treat the house as if theirs (explaining where they slept, where to eat, the surrounding area, etc.)

When I was free, I visited him and brought them some fruits so they could make juice from it (he could not eat solid food after the chemo, and his wife would usually make fruit juice for him), asked about his condition, and gave some encouragement and motivation to keep strong.

Every time I met them, both him and his wife always smiled despite the pain that he went through. I could see how grateful they were to be able to stay at my brother's house in times when they needed it. You would have known how expensive accommodation fare in Singapore and they would not only stay for few days but few weeks.

Be positive always!!! (Pic source: Google.com)

To be able to see him again, it was an immense pleasure for me. His fighting against cancer was successful. He was still the same person I met before, very humble, polite and soft spoken. He always showed his gratitude towards every little thing he received. I was very happy and I prayed to Buddha to grant him a continuous good health so that he could live his life happily, free from suffering, full of peace and joy in his life. Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu.

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