"Today is a special day. We both woke up at 4.30am. We stayed in bed for a while and chatted. You suggested that we get up to make ourselves a drink. I asked if I could lie down for another 5 minutes, you readily agreed. Like always you agree with me. Soon we got up to sit at the patio. You went to the kitchen and brought back two cups of hot coffee.
It was still dark. You switched on the floodlights of the garden and the garden looked beautiful. I praised you for your green fingers. I know you were delighted to hear that from me. I went down to the garden and invited you to take a walk with me to admire the beauty of the garden. We walked by the pool and commented on a straggly patch of new turf you had just planted. You assured me that straggly patch will soon grow into a neat grass patch.
We went back to the patio and I continued to admire the garden. I was especially appreciative of your effort that day with the work you had done in the garden. Every pot was neatly arranged. I pointed out a pot of plant and reminded you that that spot was the direct spot, which the afternoon sun will shine on. You told me that that plant particular loved lots of sunshine and it is the perfect spot for it. It was your last lesson for me in gardening.
I know you are proud of the garden. You have taken a lot of time, love and care to manage it. That is just like you. That is how you have taken care of the family too. Especially to me, you have always been so giving and loving.
We had a simple breakfast. Soon we have spent a wonderful 3 hours together in the morning. You went back to the bedroom to rest. When I went in you were snuggly in bed. I joined you and slept until the alarm went on.
I showered and got ready for a meeting at 9am. I took up my files and told you I am leaving. Immediately you got out of bed, still in your nightdress, you sent me off to work. Every morning you would wave me goodbye at the doorway. Before the car turned out I waved to you and saw you waving to me at the doorway in your nightdress. I have experienced this scene hundreds of times. But today this was our eternal parting. That was the last time I see my darling, Hup Ee. The image of you waving to me will forever be a lasting memory in my mind. I wish that scene on that morning happened again. I am willing to give all that I have to have that scene again. I cannot believe that you have left me.
It is now already past one in the morning. I will be finishing this letter soon. You have left me for almost 13 hours. I am tired. This day has been extra long. Very often I will work late into the late like tonight. I would slip quietly back into the bedroom to find you sleeping soundly in bed. But tonight the bed is empty. When I remove the comforter, the bed is cold. Where is my darling Hup Ee? Where is my darling Hup Ee?
I will never forget the laughter and joy you brought to your friends and me. I will miss the pair of slender and gentle hands that took care of me. I fondly referred to your hands as "sparrow hands", because they are small like sparrows. Goodbye my darling Hup Ee. We will meet again."
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(Written by Mr Peter Chen, Senior Minister of State for Education for his beloved wife Chen Hup Ee, who past away in an accident on the 17 Dec 1998.)
This letter was read out during the funeral on Monday morning, by Peter Chen himself. He cried and was very emotional yet he continued to read the letter because he wanted to share his feelings with his friends and colleagues and family.
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I have this through my email from a friend and I find it so touching that I can't bear to delete just like that. So I saved a copy and now I'm putting on my blog that more people can read it and remember it.
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