Love Me
By Collin Raye
I read a note my grandma wrote back in nineteen twenty-three. Grandpa kept it in his coat, and he showed it once to me. He said,"Boy, you might not understand, but a long, long time ago, Grandma's daddy didn't like me none, but i loved your grandma so."
We had this crazy plan to meet and run away together. Get married in the first town we came to, and live forever. But nailed to the tree where we were supposed to meet, instead I found this letter, and this is what it said: "If you get there before i do, don't give up on me. I'll meet you when my chores are through;I don't know how long i'll be. But i'm not gonna let you down, darling wait and see."
And between now and then, till i see you again, I'll be loving you. Love, me.
I read those words just hours before my grandma passed away, in the doorway of a church where me and grandpa stopped to pray. I know I'd never seen him cry in all my fifteen years. But as he said these words to her, his eyes filled up with tears.
If you get there before I do, don't give up on me. I'll meet you when my chores are through. I don't know how long I'll be. But i'm not gonna let you down, darling wait and see. And between now and then, till i see you again, I'll be loving you. Love, me. Between now and then, till I see you again, I'll be loving you. Love, me.
This is a song that I will listen to whenever I am feeling sad over the demise of an elderly. The part that I like the most is this:
“If you get there before I do, don't give up on me. I'll meet you when my chores are through. I don't know how long I'll be. But i'm not gonna let you down, darling wait and see. And between now and then, till i see you again, I'll be loving you. Love, me. Between now and then, till I see you again, I'll be loving you. Love, me.” – It signifies my promise to the departed elderly that I will continue to bring a piece of sunshine for the elderly who are still with us. I don’t know how long am I able to continue to do so but as long as it is still within my ability, I will try my very best. Also I will always cherish and love the time that I have spent with every elderly. Hee… Just sharing some of my thoughts that have crystallized during my few years in Touch.
Our elderly cannot be with us forever and ever. The time that we can spend together with them is very short. However, what matters is not how long but how meaningful is our time spent together. Each and every visit may be the last time that we are able to share laughter and joy. I will always archive the happiest time in some pockets of my mind and take them out whenever I am feeling down or when I am missing the elderly. The memories cheer me up a lot.
Mdm Ong’s courage and determination to live life independently has taught me to be brave and 潇洒 whenever I face the various adversities in life. I think not only Mdm Ong bah, all the elderly have let us seen this 不倒翁 spirit. I really hope that I can be like them when I am old liao!
It really feels better after I have written something to express my feelings. Anyone who is feeling sad can try this method too! I think this is a good way for us to organize our thoughts and say our own goodbye to Mdm Ong…
Regards,
Li Xian
