I once posted a greeting card I received from an ex-colleague, Mdm Goh. I worked with her during my tenure as the Manager of the SAFRA Clubhouse. Mdm Goh (Janet) was a receptionist we recruited when the clubhouse renovated and we needed to beef up the staffing at the front desk.
Janet was given a golden handshake after 25 years with MayBank. She was only 48yo when she joined us at SAFRA. I found her to be very lively and a keen learner even at her age. She is married to the same man for 32 years and they never had any children.
After I left SAFRA in 1991, Janet had been sending me yearly greeting cards. In those cards, she would write quite lengthily of how she was grateful for the years of working with SAFRA and the opportunity we had given her. She would often shower my family and me with blessings from God. She is a devout Christian and knows I am a practicing Buddhist. It is always very heart warming to receive her cards.
On 19 May 2013, I received an SMS from Janet :-
"blessings 2 u bernard i just want 2 tell u my husband passed away on O2
may. it was a sudden death he fell down when the ambulance came he was
already in coma the doctor told me his brain vessel burst n also a clot
in the brain. the doctor says if he comes round he will b a vegetable.
bernard i have 2 learn n get used 2 staying alone. everynight before i
go 2 bed he wil make a drink 4 me now the drink maker is gone we go out
together quite often he told me now that we r retired we have alot of
time 2 spent together my constant companion is no more before they close
the coffin a final look at him i say my final sayonara 2 him. he is 78
years he is in Heaven."
I immediately returned her call - she was crying and repeated what she said in her SMS. I was overcame with emotion and held back my tears as I tried to comfort her. I told her that I would meet her soon to catch up.
When we caught up, we had a very good chat and caught up at her place near the Soka HQ. We had a good lunch after that and I took a walk with her near the coffeeshop. She was in a much better spirit and was her chatty self. She then told me that she wanted to make a passport as her late husband did not like traveling so her old one had expired. I offered to help her and we took a walk to the nearby photo studio to have one taken. Interestingly, the studio also had a copy of the application form from ICA.
After the visit, I came back and proceeded to mail the form for her. I promised that once ICA informed her that the passport was ready, I would accompany her to pick it up.
It felt good to be able to reconnect with her and do so many practical things for her. Janet is 73 yo this year. She is very healthy with no other known medical conditions. She has a voracious appetite too :p.
Last week, I brought Janet to collect her ready passport. Before that, we managed to make an appointment for the collection too or else it would have taken her more than 2 hours do so. We again went to Kallang Leisure Park for lunch. She told me that with the new passport, she would be traveling with her friends from church and her primary school :p Her niece would also be bringing her for trips too. I am very pleased to be of some help and comfort. I especially also enjoyed her regaling me stories of her childhood and 32 yo marriage to her late hubby. I am particularly comforted that she has many friends and loved ones who are looking out for her.
An old friend has started new connections.
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