See you in the next lifetime

 

Dear Daddy,

It's been almost a decade since you passed away and so much has happened since then, all of which, when I was younger, I imagined you to be part of.

A year after you died, I left Singapore and moved to Qatar. And by the way, you'll be happy to know I took your watch when you passed away, and I still wear it to this day :)

More importantly, years after you left us, we had a niece- but I'm sure you had met her somewhere in the universe before she came into our lives. I had the feeling you made sure she found her way to us? Darling named her Amara and her second name is Lorraine (combination of Lorenzo & Marianne). And Mama, she always introduces you to Amara whenever she touches your photo frame. Mama would always say “Si Papa Ben yan, kilala mo na baga yan”… Amara is growing up so fast and she's so smart & pretty.

Oh, you will be happy to hear that Babiz can cook now and she’s pretty good at it too!  If you were still alive, she would cook pasta and bake a banana cake for you. In fact, maybe she’d be coming over and cook for your birthday too. You would have had so much fun with us if you could have just been around a few years longer.

The day to day is a lot easier than when you first left, and there are days I don't even think about you. That sounds bad but you know what I mean. I used to dream about you a lot, now I cannot even remember when the last time was. I think of you with a smile on my face, and we all sometimes talk about you during Sunday lunch.

I've written you a letter every year since you passed away, and every year, I still cry when I do so. I don't think you ever really completely get over someone important to you passing away, and although you move forward, there is always a piece of your heart that is permanently stuck in that time.

If you could see me now, Daddy. If you could see all of us. I'd like to think you are smiling from heaven right now.

I love you always, happy birthday in heaven.

 

🧡

Apple