A word of thanks

This is a dedication to all my uncles and aunt who have been more than just uncles and aunt to me. They are the dad we never had, the men who have shaped us and been there for us through hard and tough times and for that dear uncles and aunt, we ( June, Jack & Joey and of course, our mom) are forever indebted and grateful.

We did not exactly have an easy childhood. Dad was an abuser, gambler, drinker and all of us suffered badly. If not for our uncles who have each touched our lifes individually in many ways, we will not be what we are today.So here is thanks to you, Uncle Loong, Uncle Chai, Uncle Daniel and Auntie Fong.

To Uncle Loong, thanks for :

a) Locking me up in the back room when I was rude to Gramps, it taught me not to be a brat and that I cannot have my way all the time.
b) Coming to our rescue each time Dad hit Mom. Mom would not have survived if you had not intervened at those times.
c) Taking us and all our friends in for all those movies free of charge. Who could forget watching Saturday Night Fever sitting on the steps of the movie theatre cos it was a full house but we got in anyway cos we were your nieces and nephews.... Walking in after school into the Lido theatre to catch a show and being allowed in without tickets cos we were your nieces and everyone knows us ? Jaws, Towering Inferno, The Exorcist and a slew of other movies will not be forgotten and I think of you each time I watch a re - run
d) Ferrying me and a whole load of my friends to and fro to the Cathay Cinema ( a total of four trips) for The Deep and getting the ten of us in free !! I was quite the show-off and the heroine that day in my friends' eyes.
e) Taking us to Jubilee Park and getting us all the merry-go-round rides and ferris wheel rides for free.
f) Picking me up from the bus station/airport each time I go back to Ipoh.
g) Picking me up and sending me for music lessons, tuition, everywhere else when it rains.

To Uncle Chai, thanks for

a) Financing us and bailing us out all the time. We would have starved and gone by without books and shelter is you had not bailed us out those many times when we needed it.
b) Not expecting us to pay you back a single penny but we really want you to know that we will take care of you now and forever.
c) Introducing us to Theresa Teng and Yau Su Roong and "Ching Tien Pu Hooi Chia" which was quite a inapproriate song for five year olds to learn but then hey, we did not know that the song was describing the life our dad was living then. We just enjoyed belting the chorus out at the top of our lungs.
d) Teaching us to not give up in life even when adversity strikes and to still live life to the fullest and to the best of your ability. Even in our full capacity self, we will not have as many friends we can depend on as you and that says a lot for your character.
e) Still thinking of us even when we are 40 year olds and calling to check on how we are until today. It means a lot to us.

To Uncle Daniel, thanks for :

a) Introducing me to the wonderful world of story books and Dandy and Beano. It made me a voracious reader and helped me escape into a world where I could truly be free.
b) Introducing me to pop music. It is through you that I got to know Elvis Presley, Cliff Richard, Rod Stewart, Bee Gees and my life has never been without music since.
c) Financing my music lessons.
d) Buying me a bike when all my friends had one and you know I wanted one.
e) Buying me another bike when my first bike got stolen.
f) Taking me along for all your family trips. It is through you and Auntie Susan that I got my first taste of KL, Singapore, Penang, Johore and all the other places you took me to. felt that I was the luckiest kid in the world.
g) Letting me stay over every weekend without fail and giving me a room at your house and not minding that I was quite a permanent fixture at your house all the time.
h) Auntie Susan, who have shaped and influence us in more ways than you would ever know. (TVB movies -- who could forget marathons with her ?)
i) Still being the voice of reason and reminder of just how good God is all the time.

Auntie Fong, thanks for :

a) All the free fishes and seafood that we could possibly eat.
b) Letting us run free and pick all the rambutans we wanted in your old house.
c) Being the bestest sis our mom could ever ask for.

And thanks for all the wonderful cousins we could ever ask for. We hope we will be able to reciprocate your kindness, love and compassion this lifetime.

For my baby........

This one's for my baby.......who is now a young woman on the threshold of adulthood. How time flies and in a wink of an eye, she is all grown up and about to set forth into the scary real world. So I want her to know a few things that is in my heart and things which I might not have time to tell her.

I want her to know that :

1) I love her to bits and she is one of the three most important person in my life( the others being her good old dad and Archie)
2) I am tremendously proud of her even though I don't tell her that much.
3) I would love to take her through life and protect her from all the hard knocks and heartaches but I won't do that so that she will learn to be a better and stronger person.
4) I am glad that she has a good head on her shoulders and she is sensible and mature but then it is okay to let go and be crazy once in a while.
5) I love being her mom and best friend and confidante and hope that she will always treat me as such.
6) I love that she thinks I am cool.
7) In my very stressed hours, I think of her and it makes things better.
8) I would do anything and everything to protect her and provide for her.
9) A walk with God is something to be cherished and I pray that she will know Him as I know Him.
10) I will always nag and worry and that this will go on till she is sixty as I am her mom and I can't help it.
11) I know that sometimes it is time to let go and love from afar but I can't do it ( but I will try)
12) If all else fails her and if she needs anything, anytime, I am here.
13) I may not be able to give her everything but she can be always be assured of my love.
14) I am learning from her as much as she is learning from me so be patient if I am lost sometimes.
15) It is better to give than to receive and she should always be generous with her love and life and it will come back to her many folds.
16) I am not perfect and I make mistakes but I try my best.
17) She may not be perfect and she makes mistakes but it it important to have tried her best.
18) Family ties are important and to love her extended family who also loves her to bits.
19) It is good to always repay and reciprocate kindness, generosity and love but to always forget and forgive grudges, anger and revenge.
20) It is important to be an individual without shutting out people around you.
21) I want her to be happy and to live her life to the fullest.
22) I want her to love and care passionately and adundantly.
23) She is beautiful, inside & out.
24) Not everything I do is right and I am still learning how to be a better friend, daughter, sister, wife and mom every day of my life.
25) She will always be my baby.

So, dearest darling Rachel, this one's for you.

With lots of love from me,

Your Good Old Ma....