in memory of EE

Last night at 10.27, my aunt, Mrs Ling Soon Min nee Yu Yong Huong went home to the Lord. She is mum's youngest sibling. She had been very ill for quite a while and finally her whole system shut down.

She was a teacher in Convent and I was most terrified of her. As a kid, I would go to her house in Bintang Estate after school (as there was no one free to pick me up). Later when she moved to Ayer Tawar, I also followed her (she took the longer route via Kampung Sitiawan) so that she could drop me off the lane before SMAB. When she shifted to Taman Guru, ma would send me to her house in so that she could help me in my school work. How I feared those times. She would hit me with the back of the ruler on my knuckles for every mistake I made. My grades improved by leaps and bounds! She was also my English teacher when I was in Standard 4 and having your aunt as your teacher is almost a nightmare. She never show favoratism and I felt she was even stricter with me compared to the rest of the class. I never grudge the strictness that she showed me because those had been my foundation years and she played an important role to lay the principles right for me especially in my academics.

When I grew to a teenager, my relationship with was more relaxed. I used to park my motorbike in her compound and walked to school via Herbert's house. That was when we started talking a lot. She was mother's mouthpiece to me I think. I was never good in relating to ma even till today as I can't express myself well in Foochow. So it was to Ee that I poured all my feelings on growing up. I would spend time talking to her as she cooked her meal and she would just listen to me and give me quiet advice. When I went through some crisis which must have frightened ma out of her wits, it was Ee who listened to me and understood me without judging me. She didn't tell what was right or wrong but she just guided me tactfully through.

The night before I left for varsity, she phoned and prayed for me. She told me that her prayers would be with me all the time. When I returned home to work, she reminded me to continue serving God in church. I was in a transitional period of being neither here nor there but I took her word and helped in the MYF for a while.

She and her family were with me throughout my wedding both here and back home. They gave me the support which I needed. She was definitely almost like a second mum to me.

Before CNY, I phoned her in Singapore. She told me to visit her when I was home. I never made it to her house. I know what she would tell me : a. be kind to ma b. forget and forgive what is past c. never stop serving God

Yesterday about 7pm, I was overwhelmed by grief for her. It was like she was telling me that she was leaving. Then there was peace and I know she understood what I am going through. I will not be going home to pay my last respects. She is with me in spirit and we have communed. She knows I have much respect and love for her who had been my mentor from my childhood to adulthood.

She was my favourite and closest aunt. Thank you Ee for touching my life and shaping me to be who I am.