Anniversary

Today marks the 5th anniversary since Dad passed away. Has it been that long already? Time sure flies. I can only imagine how it would be like to still have Dad around. Would I be here in Australia? Would he have me study in the UK? I bet you Dad had a plan for me. A path planned for me to take. Probably make it much more easier for me than it is now. I had to plan my own path when he left us. It wasn't easy, being a 'spoilt' kid and always having to ask Dad for permission, things were pretty much made easy for me. I had no worries back then, the only worry I had at that time was study. Just study hard, and leave everything else to Dad. He knows best.

Dad was the gel which kept the family together. Since Dad left, the relatives started to drift, true colours were shown. Our family just got swept under the carpet. We had a big house, we were forced to move. We had a company, we were forced to sell. None of the relatives wanted to help. They were the ones who actually forced us into it. I still hate them for it.

Thank God Mum was strong. She took charge of the family. I respect her for that. Dad was always the breadwinner of the family. Mum just worked to supplement the family. Now Mum does her best. She started a new company from scratch. She is now venturing into another business. Good on her. Sister is doing well, she may be the youngest, but she is the one already earning the $$ now to help support herself. I'm proud of her too. My brother is in the UK. Finding his own way in life. I hope he succeeds. He tries his best. We have all evolved and progressed since Dad left. I am proud of my family.

Now I only dream of how things would be like if Dad was still around. We would probably still be in the same house at the corner of High Street (direct translation of Jalan Tinggi), or maybe the whole family would have migrated to the UK. Mum mentioned that Dad had planned for us to migrate there once my brother and I graduated from high school, which was only a few months away after he left. Dad had permanent residency in the UK. He had intended to apply for the family as well, it just came too late.

If Dad didn't leave us so early, Grandma probably wouldn't have left us the way she did. Losing both Granddad and Dad one after the other in such a short span of time was devastating. Granddad was inevitable, he fell down, had a stroke, and was bed-ridden. Dad had a heart attack 2 years after. It was a big blow for Grandma. Losing a husband, and her eldest child and son. Yes, I still believe things would be different if Dad was still here. We have grown stronger since then. We've moved on. I'm sure he is watching over us right now.

But we all sure miss Dad.

Happy anniversary.