The people we took for granted

To me, one of the most important impact during this pandemic lockdown, is non other than family and friends, our social lifestyle. The people that we took for granted. During the past 4 weeks of movement controlled order, where the government limit our movement and strictly based on need to go out basis, I missed 3 funeral within this period.

First, it was my cousin brother from China. Personally, I don't even know of his existence until 2016, my father suddenly called me and ask me to connect with a cousin. I gave the person a call, arranged a meetup at night at his hotel. And since then, we've been keeping each other in touch via messaging. After the first meet, we have a chance to meet again with other cousins once again in 2018. In short, we only met twice in his life time, other than that we're all messaging, voice messaging. We share a lot about our early life, how they grew up in China, how we grew up here. The last message was informing me to be extremely careful with the effect of AFTER the lockdown uplift. And is still asking if we need extra face mask. The very same evening he had a heart attack and he was gone.

Following week, I lost an aunt, and then a naphew. An aunt with old age, what can we expect? Every year when we saw her, it felt like a blessing. This year during the Chinese New Year visit two months back, she was still holding my hand and said she's too weak to cook for us, and told her it was ok as long we get to meet and that is the most important thing. Never would I guess that was the last time I she spoke to me. And the naphew, we met at the very same place during the meetup, me and my youngest uncle was still making fun of him because he's got a very young and beautiful wife, when they're posting for a family portrait he looks like a father and the wife looks like his daughter. It was so much fun!

Other than Chinese New Year meet, special occasions like funeral, full moon party, wedding ceremony, birthday dinner we usually showed up together. In this pandemic season, we're all lockdown. We couldn't even attend their funeral. We don't even have a chance to celebrate their life. There's no words. After the lockdown, things will never be the same again. Not only the economy, not only us, not only our job, but the way I feel about Chinese New Year meet. The way I feel about friendship. The people surrounding me. The people whom I lost. I don't get to see these people anymore, and I certainly do not hope to lost more family and friends without having more memories together with them.

What makes me authored today's post? It was a very warm greeting from a good friend of mine @redpalestino asking how am I doing since I was down with food poisoning. When he texted me, I was actually at the toilet doing my "business" expelling the devil out of my body. We had a long chat, until I came out of the toilet, dinner, rest awhile infront of TV, we're still chatting, and again visited the toilet, again came out of toilet. It was a few hours straight, non stop talking about plans, talking about what should we eat. Totally forgotten I'm suffering from food poisoning stomachache. We wanted to visit Banting for the famous food there and some "special beverages" which I'm not convenient to disclose the name here.

It really inspire me to cherish what I should cherish, the people whom we love, the friends and family we have. Things can happen just like that, no warning. I don't want to have the "I should have..." ordeal in my life anymore

Was taken during a special meetup when we took a day trip back to Ipoh town to greet the elderly back in 2016.

Post were originally authored in the other chain