Photo credit: MCI
The past week has been a roller coaster of emotions for me.
I was awoken on Monday, when I heard my mother cry out "Lee Kuan Yew has passed away". Something on the inside of me ached, and through half open eyes I switched on my phone to check out the news on social media - hoping it would just be a false alarm. Alas, it was not.
"Lee Kuan Yew has passed away at 3.18am on 23 March 2015".
These words will forever be etched in my memory. Even though we had been preparing for this as an eventual finality, I guess sometimes, you can never be fully prepared. I went to work with a heavy heart on 23 March, with my head and heart still trying to come to terms to what had happened.
It's funny isn't it? I have never met Mr Lee in person, but somehow, his passing felt so personal, and the sense of loss was so real.
As the days went by, and media tributes poured forth, we all got to know a side of Mr Lee that was so rarely heard of; how devoted a husband he was, how he took the trouble to send personal notes to people, how he always, always, thought of Singapore.
I remember I once heard a sermon by Ps. Brian Houston, on having a glorious obsession. I think Singapore was Mr Lee's glorious obsession, and Singapore will not ever see another Lee Kuan Yew.
His presence will indeed be sorely missed, and these recent days have shown just how a big a part of every Singaporean's life he was.
My heart was immensely moved when I saw the queues of people, young and old, making the effort to pay their final respects to Mr Lee. It was tremendously heartwarming to see people giving out food and water to those queueing, and when I was in the queue myself, I just felt that Mr Lee would have so so proud to see Singaporeans united in such a manner. This is the Singapore he fought so hard to build.
I thank God for placing such an anointed leader over us, and may he rest in peace, with his beloved. :')
