Hello Papa,
It’s been two year since you’re gone. How are you doing up there? Does the people there treat you nice? Do you get good food? Is it cold at night?
You’ve been away for so long you missed out on so much! A lot has happened since I last wrote. I don’t even know where to start!
Sister moved to New Zealand and she now lives in Hamilton. I flew there to visit her and her family last September. Hamilton is a very much like Perth, except there’s no Burswood Casino and Arirang. Still, the weather there is fresh and the people there are nice and I think you’ll like it there.
Sister is doing ok. I think she’s really enjoying herself now being a mother. Just last month, she gave birth to another baby girl. A tiny bundle named Lecia. She’s cute!
And her two other kids seem to grow up real fast. Jayden is turning four soon and Kirsten is already two and a half.
Feels like only yesterday that you saw her sleeping in her pink baby basket. Now she’s walking around everywhere causing carnage on anything she could lay her hands on.
Brother got married before the new year. Everyone was happy to welcome the bride into the family. You would too, I’m sure. The wedding ceremony at Hilton was most lavish and joyful. Brother even did a touching tribute to you on his wedding night. Did you get to see it?
Now everyone is asking me when’s my turn. I find it quite annoying actually. But one thing I figured out recently though, is that mom was right: Any man living your kind of lifestyle would require a woman that is both incredibly supportive and understanding.
Having experienced a bit of what your busy career was like, I find that truer than ever. Such women is rare.
Not too long ago, we shifted your office to the new place. Yours is on the top floor. The view from up there is fantastic! On a clear day, you could see the best of Kuching skyline alllll the way to Santubong mountain. There’s even a nice little balcony area for you to take your smoking breaks with Mr Benson and Mr Hedges.
I can imagine you spending quite a bit of time out there. After all, these are the fruits of your labour. I think you’ll love it a lot.
Have you been catching up with Grandpa lately? He left us earlier so he’s probably with you up there. Mom said he used to be real proud of you when you would buy Grandpa lunch and fruits in front of his friends. So don’t forget to do that more often over there k?
As for me, I have more or less settled down, getting the hang of my job and learning new things at the same time. Pursuing an MBA is now off the hooks, though it still seems there’s so many things to learn and not enough time to do it.
They wanted me to do law, but the subject is so dry. They wanted me to do insurance too, but I’m so bad at selling things. I wish I could discuss my career direction with you right now. I didn’t use to do it a lot in the past because I thought you always wanted me to do things I didn’t want to. But I see your point now. I wished I could tell you that.
In fact, I wished to we could have done more things together, as a family. For the first time in a very long time, we had a family trip to Egypt recently and it just feels so different without you. So many times I feel like saying how wonderful it is if you could enjoy the trip with us. So many times I get upet just thinking about it. The emptiness that you left in us is still there.
Signs of mom’s old age is starting to show. It would be so nice if you could be around to spend more time with her.
When I was in New Zealand, I met a retired couple both 79 years old. They live in a lakeside house and drink tea on the balcony every morning. Just the two of them.
You used to do that with mom every morning too. And I pictured that would probably be how the two of you would look like when you retire. That didn’t happen.
Papa, I miss you. And all of us miss you dearly. We miss your stories, we miss your jokes, we miss your laughter. Above all else, we miss your warmth.
It’s been two year since you’re gone, and we still wish you were here with us sometimes.
Do keep watching over us. Until then, please take care.
Love,
Your son Kenny